Seek doctors even for mild symptoms, warns Health Minister as dengue death toll hits 9
After the review meeting at Neelankarai, the minister told reporters that dengue cases have crossed 1,500 across the state, and most fatalities were reported among patients with pre-existing cardiac or co-morbid conditions.
Health Minister Ma Subramanian
CHENNAI: Dengue deaths in Tamil Nadu are inching closer to double digits this year, as the toll reached nine. The state also braces for heavier spells triggered by the ongoing northeast monsoon, one of the optimal conditions for mosquitoes to breed. Reviewing the monsoon preparedness at Perungudi and Sholinganallur zones on Monday, Minister for Health Ma Subramanian urged city residents to be cautious and seek immediate medical attention for even mild symptoms.
After the review meeting at Neelankarai, the minister told reporters that dengue cases have crossed 1,500 across the state, and most fatalities were reported among patients with pre-existing cardiac or co-morbid conditions.
"All nine deaths occurred either because patients had underlying illnesses or delayed consulting doctors after developing fever," Subramanian clarified.
He recalled that in earlier years, 2012 and 2017, dengue fatalities stood at 66 and 65, respectively. "However, under the present government led by Chief Minister MK Stalin, deaths have been consistently kept to single digits for the fifth consecutive year, thanks to intensified vector-control drives and greater public awareness," he said.
Subramanian emphasised that the Aedes mosquito, which breeds in stagnant clean water, proliferates during the monsoon. "People must ensure that no rainwater collects around their homes. Even small puddles can become breeding grounds," he cautioned.
Highlighting the State's vigilance, the minister noted that both government and private hospitals have been instructed to report dengue cases promptly, to enable comprehensive monitoring. He added that awareness campaigns and door-to-door inspections are being carried out to prevent a spike in infections during the peak rainy months of November and December.
The review meeting also focused on rain preparedness in the Sholinganallur constituency, which is Tamil Nadu's largest Assembly constituency, comprising 20 wards and over seven lakh voters.
Officials from the Greater Chennai Corporation, Water Resources department, and other key civic agencies briefed the Minister on flood-mitigation efforts, including the construction of new stormwater drains and linking canals around Narayanapuram and Pallikaranai lakes to prevent inundation.