Dengue cases are on the rise in areas under the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation.
In Salt Lake, 35 people have tested positive for dengue over the past week.
The number of people testing positive for dengue is also going up steadily in places like Rajarhat, Baguiati, Ashwininagar and Chinar Park.
More than 40 cases have been reported from these areas in the past week. According to a Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation official, vector-control teams from the civic health department have been visiting all 42 wards and spraying larvicide to contain the spread of the mosquito-borne disease.
Teams are also being sent to houses from where dengue cases have been reported, the official said. But the visits are too infrequent, according to some residents.
“In Salt Lake, we have found stagnant freshwater in garages, on pathways and rooftops, and in empty flower pots. We have urged residents to ensure that freshwater doesn’t accumulate anywhere,” said a senior official of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation’s health department.
Another civic official said a clean-up drive and door-todoor visits to check for accumulated water will start on Monday.
Banibrata Banerjee, a mayoral council member of the Bidhannagar civic body, said they would send multiple teams of officials and labourers from the health, solid waste management and sewerage departments for the clean-up drive.
Residents across Bidhannagar, however, said such promises are usually not backed by action.
The dengue-causing Aedes aegypti mosquito can breed in a spoonful of water. It takes a week after eggs are laid for adult mosquitoes to emerge.
So, it is crucial to drain out stagnant water once in seven days, a civic official said. More than anything else, cleanliness and awareness can prevent a dengue outbreak, public health experts say.
After every spell of rain, small containers such as clay or plastic cups get filled with water. If such containers remain undisturbed and away from sunlight, they could turn into mosquito-breeding sites.
Earlier this month, a 12-year-old boy who lived in Kalighat died of dengue.
Across Kolkata, scores of dengue deaths were reported in 2012 and 2016. Dengue cases were reported in Kolkata and Salt Lake in October last year but in fewer numbers.
