Amid the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, reporting of dengue fever and leptospirosis diseases from different parts of the district has become a cause for concern.
According to the Health Department, at least five confirmed dengue fever cases and three confirmed leptospirosis cases were reported from the district in the last six days. The dengue cases were logged from Pallippuram, Vayalar, Thanneermukkom, Cherthala and Champakulam, while Nelamperoor, Panavally and Alappuzha registered one leptospirosis case each. The district also witnessed two suspected leptospirosis deaths during this period.
Although the situation is nowhere near spiralling out of control, the diseases are threatening to pile more pressure on a severely strained health machinery in the district.
In 2019, Alappuzha logged 355 dengue cases including one death and 188 leptospirosis cases with four deaths. This year, around 200 dengue and 100 leptospirosis cases have been reported so far. “Regarding dengue fever and leptospirosis cases, there is nothing unusual this year as it follows the same pattern as in the previous years. As a waterlogged place, the district is vulnerable to diseases like leptospirosis. The only difference this time is that a large part of the health machinery is involved in fighting the pandemic. We are short-staffed and this has an impact on other activities of the Health Department,” said a Health Department official.
Officials said that the department had strengthened surveillance in affected areas utilising the available resources.
As leptospirosis is spread through the urine of infected animals, officials have urged the people involved in jobs, which make them contact with stagnant water to ensure personal protection. They added that those vulnerable to the disease could take preventive medicines.
Dengue fever is caused by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito. According to experts, keeping possible mosquito breeding grounds clean and avoiding mosquito bite can prevent contracting the disease.
