KMC’s dengue drive continues, larvae found in two hospitals

The drives were led by Atin Ghosh, member, Mayor-in-council (Health). Debashis Biswas, chief vector control officer was also present during the drive. Biswas said larvae were found in the AC ducts, in some containers that were kept on the rooftop and inside iron pipes where rainwater had accumulated. 

The authorities have been asked to ensure that garbage was cleaned regularly and clear water was not allowed to accumulate anywhere inside the hospitals. However, the KMC could not find larvae at RN Tagore Hospital. Ghosh said the hospital had become a model as to how institutional buildings and their surroundings should be maintained. He will take an administrative meeting in borough I in North Kolkata to take a stock of the situation. The officials of various departments along with the councillors will take part in the meeting.

The state government has asked the authorities of Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation to ensure that water was not allowed to accumulate in the pits at the construction site of East-West Metro. The construction site serves as a major breeding ground for the mosquitoes causing malaria and dengue.

The Army, BSF and Post master General have been requested to ensure that cleaning in their establishments was done regularly and there was no accumulation of clean water. A high level meeting was held in Nabanna under the chairmanship of state home secretary Malay Dey. All the senior officials attended the meeting.

Another high level meeting was held in Sasthya Bhavan where representatives of various private pathological laboratories, nursing homes and hospitals attended. They have been asked to send the names of the patients in whose blood dengue was found.

So far ten people have died of dengue in the state. The state government have also decided to go for massive awareness campaign. The people have been requested not to panic and consult a doctor if they are found to be suffering from fever. Also, they should clean the container where water is stored at least once a week and use mosquito nets.

A senior state government official said in many offices, both run by the Centre and state government old furniture are kept and there are plastic glasses and earthen pots which have not been cleaned for months. These serve as mosquito breeding ground. Close surveillance is needed to check the spread of the disease, he maintained.