The East Singhbhum health unit has launched an awareness drive with distribution of one lakh leaflets across the district as the number of dengue cases continues to rise in the steel city.

“Though dengue cases have been confined primarily in the city areas, we have decided to distribute leaflets even at the block level as there are is a large floating population from rural parts to the city,” said Dr A.K. Lal, the East Singhbhum district malaria officer and nodal officer of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP).

“We have got over 1 lakh leaflets and have started distribution to create awareness on steps which should be taken to prevent breeding of dengue mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti),” he added.

The district has witnessed 231 dengue cases this year as on October 14. These cases were confirmed by Elisa test — the only government-approved test for dengue — done at the MGM Medical College Hospital in Dimna. There has been no death from dengue so far. There were nearly 556 cases of dengue and four deaths in 2017 in Jamshedpur and its outskirts, which was reduced to 69 cases and two deaths last year. The administration claimed the reduction was due to an awareness campaign and surveillance programme.

“We hope that with the withdrawal of monsoon and ebbing of rainfall the number of dengue positive cases would decrease but we are not taking chances as we feel that awareness would prevent dengue even in the coming years. We had put up billboards and distributed leaflets on preventive steps against dengue but we have started distribution on a war footing since the last few days,” said Lal.

The leaflet highlights of maintaining cleanliness in and around houses, eradicating unused containers which can lead to water accumulation and be potential breeding spots for mosquitoes, periodically clean water tanks, coolers, refrigerator and pots, keep the lower portion of the body covered, and periodically clean dark places in the houses.

The leaflets have been distributed to all the 235 sub health centres, nine community health centres, and 18 public health centres.

“We are also putting our staff for distribution near schools, factories and market areas. Our objective is to target maximum number of people in shortest possible time with our limited resources,” added Dr Lal.

East Singhbhum civil surgeon Dr Maheshwari Prasad said that fogging, spraying of larvicide and bleaching powder in addition to a campaign to destroy unused containers during house-to house search operations in areas witnessing dengue cases are on.

“We would like everyone to at least spare 10 minutes every week in searching for suspected dengue breeding points, especially water accumulation points, inside and outside their houses and either inform the health department or get unused containers destroyed immediately,” Prasad said.