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Dengue cases spike as Pune gears up for monsoon
Apart from this PMC’s annual anti-dengue and anti-waterborne and mosquito-driven efforts include de-watering, fogging and survey visits to private societies
Dengue fever, a vector-borne disease, has affected 57 people in Pune in the past six months. Of the 57 cases, 17 were reported in May and June alone, civic officials have claimed.
The monsoon and winter months are historically known to see an increase in the number of cases of dengue.
This year, in an attempt to keep that number down to a minimum, the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) health department has initiated measures to stop the contagion.
The department has issued at least 200 notices to owners of properties found with stangnant water.
“Most of these properties are private. There is construction work going on at most of them. The aim of the notices is to get the owners to remove the stagnant water,” says Dr Sanjiv Shivajirao Wavare, health officer, PMC.
The PMC claims it has filed court cases against the unresponsive recipients.
“There are five to six cases that we have filed. These are contruction sites with stagnant water in Hadapsar, Bibwewadi and Mundhwa,” says Dr Wavare.
Apart from this PMC’s annual anti-dengue and anti-waterborne and mosquito-driven efforts include de-watering, fogging and survey visits to private societies.
According to health deaprtment officials, these will continue.
In 2017, eight of the 1,691 dengue positive cases succumbed to the virus.
In 2018, dengue had claimed two lives out of 682 positive cases.
However, 57 of the 256 complaints have been confirmed dengue infection cases in the first six months of 2019.
Residents who come to private hospitals and show symtoms of dengue are referred to the Naidu hospital near the Pune railway station.
The hospital notifies the PMC and sends samples to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) to confirm presence of dengue.
“Cases of malaria are fewer as compared to past year. We also spoke to contractors working on the Pune metro project to make sure that the construction water does not remain stagnant. It only take one mosquitoe, who can lay 200 eggs, to affect stagnant water,” said Dr Ramchandra Hankare, medical officer at the health department of PMC.
Old problem, new villages
The 11 new villages added to city limits now also pose a challenge to the PMC, according to Dr Ramchandra Hankare, medical officer at the health department.
“The water stored for use should not remain for more than seven days,” he warns.
He urged people in these villages, and the city, to follow the dos and don’ts of dengue prevention listed on the PMC website.
Additionally, he suggests installation of caps on terrace water tanks, and proper disposal of coconut shells and tyres.
He also adds that water in refridgerators and air coolers should be changed regularly.
PMC asked Metro and Smart city to take care of dengue mosquito on their construction sites
To check construction sites from turning into prime locations for mosquito breeding, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has issued notices to Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation (Maha-Metro), Pune Smart City Development Corporation Ltd (PSCDCL) and civic contractors to take adequate precautionary measures.
Ramchandra Hankare, head, PMC health department, said, “The civic body has told the officials carrying out development works across the city to keep their construction sites clean and dry.”
The PMC took the precautionary step after dengue mosquito breeding spots were found at the construction site of metro works in Mumbai. Smart City work is also going in Baner area.
PMC health department has warned the agencies that the department would inspect these sites during monsoon and take action against the offenders.
“Mosquitoes can hatch eggs in any puddle or even a bottle cap full of water in just four days. Eliminating standing water is the most effective way to reduce mosquitoes at a construction site,” a civic official said.
