Amid pandemic, vector-borne diseases witness decline in Hyderabad

Hyderabad:  Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Telangana has witnessed a 50 percent dip in the number of vector-borne diseases like Malaria, as compared to previous years, said state government officials from the Public Health department on Tuesday. Data showed that this year, until August, the numbers have been low so far as compared to 2019.
The Public Health Department has said that the dip was due to timely action, as well as an emphasis on preventive measures taken amid the coronavirus pandemic. This year, so far, 1,777 cases of dengue and 620 cases of malaria have been reported. According to official statistics, 2,333 cases of Dengue fever  and 1,140 Malaria cases were reported in Telangana.
‘Restriction and increased in awareness major reasons Public health specialist and director of the Public Health Department, Dr G. Srinivas Rao said, “When ASHA workers conduct home-to-home surveillance, they enquire about dengue, malaria and other diseases besides COVID-19. Our staff also urged people not to allow water to stagnate in any container in and around their homes. This was to ensure there are no mosquito breeding sites. Besides, spraying and fogging operations were taken up during containment of COVID-19.” He further stated that clearing of stagnant water, spraying of chemicals during the pandemic time, extensive sanitation and fumigation were carried on a large scale since the coronavirus pandemic started. “These were routine exercise by GHMC, DRF officials as well,” pointed out Dr. Srinivasa Rao at a press conference on Tuesday.
It may be noted that restrictions and fewer outdoor activities could be a major reason behind the dip in vector-borne diseases in the city. Furthermore, the Public Health Department stated that there is a decrease in COVID-19 cases this month though September had heavy rains this year.
As per the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended norms, the Public Health department has conducted tests in the state. According to state government data, the state positive rate in July was 23 percent, 7 percent in August and now in September, it stands at 4 percent. “Earlier the situation was pretty bad but now it better as distress among the people has come down. In the first week of August, people ran from pillar to post to get admitted into hospitals for treating the infection, so we can say that the panic has drastically come down among people,” said Dr. Srinivas Rao.