Madurai: Tamil Nadu has intensified precautionary and vector-control measures across the state following a rise in seasonal infectious diseases, with 17,939 confirmed dengue cases and nine deaths reported till Sept 23.
Health and family welfare department principal secretary Dr Darez Ahamed disclosed the figures after inspecting Simmakkal and chairing a review meeting in Madurai on Thursday.
Madurai district has reported 288 dengue cases so far, including 105 in the municipal corporation, 11 in municipalities, nine in town panchayats and 163 in rural village panchayat areas. High-incidence pockets have been mapped for targeted interventions.
A total of 26,303 Domestic Breeding Checkers (DBC) have been deployed across the state, including 1,637 in Madurai district. Regular larvicide application and indoor fogging are also being carried out.
“Medical facilities have been placed on high alert. Thirty-eight District Rapid Response Teams (RRT), 388 Block Teams statewide and 19 Block RRTs in Madurai are ready for immediate deployment in hotspot zones, alongside coordinated inter-departmental action,” Dr Ahamed said.
He said Special Newborn Care Units (SNCU) in government hospitals across the state were fully operational, with uninterrupted stocks of critical drugs and paediatric fluid therapy supplies to handle any surge in cases during the monsoon.
Madurai district collector Nishant Krishna, corporation commissioner Gaurav Kumar and other senior officials accompanied Dr Ahamed.
