The Health Department has sounded a high alert in the district and urged the public to stay vigilant after the presence of dengue variant DENV-2 was found in three places including Kollam Corporation.
According to the department, the recurrence of dengue fever can be extremely dangerous. “The risk for the infection to spread is high due to intermittent rain. Chance of fatality is 200% for persons who get reinfected with DENV-2 after contracting the first strain. Therefore, seeking immediate medical help is very important,” said the District Medical Officer here on Tuesday.
, pain in the back of eyes, and dry cough. Bleeding from the gums, excessive menstrual bleeding, bruise marks, bleeding from the nose and gum, blood in the stool, and extreme fatigue, are seen in severe cases.
Apart from Kollam Corporation, the eastern part of the district and Karunagapally are the other areas that reported DENV-2. The district administration has directed the Health Department to coordinate with the Haritha Keralam, Suchitwa Mission, and Kudumbashree units, to intensify preventive measures. The department has started a ‘Break the Cycle’ campaign to prevent mosquito larvae from completing their life cycle.
“Since rubber plantations have become the main hotspot, measures should be taken to eradicate mosquito breeding sources. Stagnant water in tarpaulin, plastic waste, and indoor plants, should be regularly cleared.” While the department has started fogging, medicated mosquito nets and larvae eradication powder will be made available in areas that reported DENV-2.
