Mangaluru: A ‘Dengue Drive Day’ will be observed throughout the district on July 28, wherein everyone is expected to spare at least one hour to clean the surroundings including clearing stagnant water to prevent the disease, Dakshina Kannada district Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil has announced.
Addressing the reporters at Patrika Bhavan on Friday, July 26, Senthil said that the programme will be inaugurated in the Zilla Panchayat office premises at Urwa Store on Sunday, July 28 at around 9 AM. Officials from Zilla Panchayat, Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) and Health Department will participate. Meanwhile, students from nursing colleges and members of NGOs among others would also participate in the programme. This ‘drive day’ will be organised to educate people on dengue, malaria, H1N1 among other diseases and create awareness on cleanliness, the DC added.
Informing on how dengue cases entered the district and the precautionary measures needed to be taken by the people, Senthil said mosquitoes which spread dengue disease breed during the day in freshwater. “The water which is stagnated on terraces, in house premises, abandoned vessels, tender coconut shells among others, help dengue mosquitoes breed. Dengue was first reported in Dakshina Kannada district in the month of April. A total of 40 cases were reported in the month of April and May. The number of cases increased to 100 in June and in July, 482 cases were reported. As mosquitoes spread dengue and malaria, our focus should be on destroying the mosquito breeding centres,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senthil inaugurated a free blood test camp for journalists at A J Hospital. The camp will be held for the next 10 days.
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