East Singhbhum district administration has issued an alert in view of the influx of the dengue virus across the district.
Sources went on to inform that suspected cases of Japanese encephalitis and dengue in the last 48 hours have prompted the health department to issue an alert for vector-borne diseases in the district.
An official said that the administration will launch a special drive to create awareness about dengue and that the Health Department will monitor the onset of the disease.
The alert was issued by the East Singhbhum unit of the integrated diseases surveillance programme (IDSP) on Wednesday.
Dengue and viral fever are spreading across the steel city, with affected people continuing to pour into hospitals and nursing homes.
Doctors in the city blame the rise in dengue cases on the deteriorating hygiene in the city. They said that if the civic bodies do nothing, the number of cases could spiral out of control.
However, the resurfacing of dengue positive cases has prompted the East Singhbhum district health department to direct the district filaria to a change in strategy in order to counter the vector (Aedes Aegypti) menace.
The department, which earlier used to only spray larvicidal apart from undertaking cleanliness exercises, will be opting to destroy unused containers (identified vector breeding centers) in the affected areas and educate people on not allowing water to stagnate in residential areas.
"We need to understand that mosquitoes that carry the virus of dengue do not come from outside, rather they generate from household things like flower-pots, coolers, water, and rejected tyres kept on the roof top or in the corner of the garden.So we must ensure that there is no such place where water is stagnant for some time, "said a health official.
"The number of dengue positive cases would decrease, but we are not taking chances as we feel that awareness would continue for a lifetime and would prevent dengue even in the coming years. We had put up billboards and distributed leaflets on preventive steps against dengue, but we have started distribution on a war footing since the last few days, "an official said.
The leaflets inform on the need for maintaining cleanliness in and around houses; eradicating unused containers, which can lead to water accumulation and be a potential breeding spot for mosquitoes; periodically cleaning water tanks, coolers, refrigerators, and pots; keeping the lower portion of the body covered; and periodically cleaning dark places in the houses.
"We are also putting our staff for distribution near schools, factories, and market areas." "Our objective is to target the maximum number of people in the shortest possible time with our limited resources," added the official.
