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Zika scare in Jaipur: Fogging began 12 days after the first case was reported
The first case of zika virus in Jaipur was reported on September 21. The Jaipur Municipal Corporation started fogging across the city on October 3 and it will continue till October 25.
It was only 12 days after the first case of Zika virus disease surfaced on September 21 that the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) started fogging across the city. The civic body started fogging across the city on October 3 and it will continue till October 25.
Sonia Agarwal, senior health officer, JMC, said that before October 3, JMC held fogging only in areas where the residents asked for it to be done.
Even as the JMC scheduled fogging and went door to door listing symptoms of the disease, the city still faces the danger of spread of the virus as solid and wet waste is piling up at several areas that may become breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Waste collection has taken a hit due to a confusion between JMC and the company given the tender to collect and transport solid waste. The company claims that the amount of solid waste in the city is more than the agreed amount in the tender. Mohan Lal Yadav, commissioner, JMC, said the corporation can’t pay the company more than the agreed amount.
The JMC has assigned 250 teams across the city to look for symptoms, if any, of the disease among citizens, Yadav said. Almost 53 penalties of ₹200-500 were imposed on houses where larvae growth was spotted. Ravindra Sharma, deputy commissioner (health), said penalties can be reimposed if larvae regrowth is found in these homes.
“Fogging takes place twice a day covering three wards at a time. Two vehicle mounted along with eight smaller portable machines are deployed for the same. However, three portable fogging machines have been deputed for eight wards where the Zika virus disease cases surfaced. Chemical Pyrethrum is being used to fog several areas in the ratio 1:19 with diesel,” Agarwal said.
JMC officials, along with health officers, are also travelling door to door collecting blood samples from people in areas where positive cases of Zika have been reported .
