Mosquito-prone Maduravoyal residents fear dengue outbreak

After dengue claimed the lives of two children Lakshitha (6) and Harinivas (10) -- both hailing from Maduravoyal -- there has been a sharp increase in the number of residents flocking to doctors with complaints of fever.

In the last week alone, there has been a 30 per cent rise in the number of fever cases, says Sridevi Anantharaman, a general physician from Vanagaram. 

The Institute of Child Health, Egmore, where the two children died, sees as many as three to four cases every day from the suburbs, especially Maduravoyal. The institute’s director D Saminathan says, “Localities like Maduravoyal are mosquito-prone and the prevention programmes are slower compared to other areas.”

“The Corporation has been carrying out fogging operations frequently for many days now. Despite that, all of us here are worried that with the rain set to intensify, there will be water stagnation causing increased mosquito menace,” said B Varadarajan, president, Maduravoyal Resident Welfare Association.

A source from the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine said that the suburb has been one of the important areas of focus. “The suburbs, including Maduravoyal, Pallavaram and Pozhichalur, have mobile camps and fever surveillance has been underway throughout the month,” the source added. 

However, the City Health Officer N Senthilnathan maintained that there was nothing to worry about. “Maduravoyal is close to districts like Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram and has several vacant lands and wells. There is nothing unique about this ward and it requires the same precautions. We have been conducting medical camps, we have found that there is nothing alarming,” he maintained.