Ernakulam accounts for 33% of Kerala’s dengue cases

KOCHI: There is a dengue outbreak in Kerala, with Ernakulam district reporting the maximum number of dengue cases in the state. The district now reports 33% of the total confirmed dengue cases in Kerala.

Dengue cases started peaking in June and in the 21 days of June, the number of confirmed dengue cases reported in the district is double the number of cases reported in the month of June 2022.
Health experts fear that intermittent rains and untreated garbage added with lack of proper cleaning at homes will lead to extended dengue season (till August instead of July).
State last saw the largest dengue outbreak in 2017, when there was an increase in cases with high mortality. However, Ernakulam reported a few cases and there was no dengue death here. Kerala had reported 21,993 cases and 165 deaths. While in the district there were 494 cases and zero deaths.
However, since 2021, Ernakulam district has been reporting the highest number of confirmed dengue cases and deaths in the state. June this year has seen the highest number of confirmed cases since 2021. However, there is no dengue death in Ernakulam this year.
“After six years, we are now facing a major outbreak. The only question now is whether it will be as large as the 2017 outbreak. Climate change added with intermittent rains will prolong the dengue season this year and unlike earlier years, dengue may peak in August this year instead of July,” said Dr Anish T S, associate professor, community medicine, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram.
Incidentally, the problem is more in the neighbourhood of Kochi corporation. “There are about 30 suspected cases and only one confirmed dengue case in the Kochi corporation limits. In Ernakulam, the concern area is Elamakkara and we are doing everything possible to control the dengue menace here,” said Kochi corporation health standing committee chairman T K Ashraf.
“Without controlling the mosquito menace, we will not be able to do anything to control the spread of dengue infection. Authorities and people need to get their act together,” added Indian Medical Association (IMA), Kochi, president Dr Sreenivasa Kamath.