Fear of dengue and malaria in Chittoor and Annamayya districts after rain

There are concerns regarding an increase in seasonal fever cases in Chittoor and Annamayya districts due to scattered rainfall and humid weather over the last week, leaving medical and health officials on constant alert. According to a report by The Hindu, officials are concerned as water has accumulated in residential areas, vacant plots, roadside ditches, and fields, as such conditions increase the breeding capacity of mosquitoes and help diseases spread rapidly.

In Chittoor district, particular surveillance is being maintained over Chittoor city, residential areas along the banks of the Niva river, GD Nellore, Karvetinagaram, Nagari, Nindra, Palanar, Kuppam, Bangarupalem, and Baireddipalle mandals, as humid weather and light rain have been recorded in these areas. Similarly, Madanapalle, Piler, Kalikiri, Vyalpadu, Punganur, and Thamballapalle mandals of Annamayya district are also under scrutiny, as these regions received significant rainfall during the first cycle of the cyclone.

Health officials are currently keeping a strict watch on viral fever, dengue, malaria, and scrub typhus. Field staff have appealed to people not to ignore prolonged fever, body ache, headache, or unusual fatigue by considering them as common seasonal illnesses.

Dengue is already becoming a serious health problem in Chittoor district. According to health department data, 112 cases of dengue were recorded in Chittoor in August, showing a significant jump of 53 per cent compared to the 73 cases recorded during the same period last year. According to a senior medical officer of Chittoor, verified figures for the last week are not available and will be collected as part of a special campaign, although it appears that cases have increased.

They further stated, "Our action plan is to track daily clinic visits, blood test results, confirmed diagnoses, and hospital admissions, as this is extremely important to get a clear picture of the situation."

District Collector Sumit Kumar has instructed field officials to increase door-to-door health screenings, conduct mosquito control drives, and intensify public awareness campaigns. Along with this, local municipalities and gram panchayats have also started special campaigns to clean drains, remove stagnant water, and inspect construction sites as well as unmaintained public spaces.