With 1,775 dengue cases in Chennai, GCC steps up mosquito control

CHENNAI: GCC Commissioner GS Sameeran on Tuesday (September 29) inspected drone-based mosquito larvicide spraying along the Cooum River near the Madras Medical College students’ hostel as part of intensified measures to control mosquito breeding across the city.

The civic body has launched bio-remediation spraying using larger drones at the confluence of the North Buckingham Canal and the Cooum River.

The operation will be extended to the Cooum, Adyar and Buckingham Canal, with a drone deployed in each of the corporation's three regions.

Sameeran said that the drone-based method, which had shown results last year, targets both adult Culex mosquitoes and dengue larvae.

Larger drones are being used in waterways more than 30 metres wide, where manual spraying is difficult. Later, Sameeran inspected mosquito larvicide spraying and fogging operations on the Madras Medical College campus as part of dengue prevention measures.

“Chennai has witnessed a rise in fever cases over the past two months. And this month, the city had recorded more than 8,300 fever cases, including 1,775 confirmed dengue cases. Nearly 70% of dengue patients had recovered,” he said. “Around 90% of dengue cases are self-limiting, while about 10% require medical consultation and nearly 5% require hospitalisation.”

For source reduction in residential areas, the GCC has divided the city into 2,076 sectors and deployed 3,703 field workers.

The workers monitor 500 houses every week to identify and eliminate mosquito breeding sources.

The Corporation has also mapped 25,035 vacant plots across the city and is giving them special attention to prevent stagnant water from becoming breeding sites.

Regional Deputy Commissioner (North) Sweta Suman, City Health Officer, Chief Entomology Officer, zonal officers and other officials were present during the inspection.