DIANA FERNANDES
diana@herald-goa.com
Cases registered by the Department of Health Services (DHS) for malaria this year totaled 344 around the state. Panjim has registered 96 cases till date. Cases of dengue on the other hand were registered at 196 over the state and only one in Panjim.
All around the country, the numbers have increased and so has Goa. Last year, the state had registered 168 positive cases of dengue. 2013 had registered 198 cases.
DHS has through its vector borne disease control programme said in addition to government means of control, the general public too had a role to play in curbing the spread of mosquitoes.
While in Panjim, the St. Inez creek may seem as a strong contender to the spreading of mosquitoes as vectors, no solid proof has yet been received.
The release of sewage into the water body has in the past highlighted the danger it posses to the residents nearby and its impact on the environment. The levels of pollutants and bacteria along with water turbidity are proof of the bad state it is in and added to it is the nearby sewage treatment plant and slums along several areas of the length of the creek. But whether or not these are breeding grounds for the vectors that cause diseases like Malaria and Dengue have yet to be ascertained by the health department.
“It will be difficult to comment on whether the creek will pose a threat or not but our preliminary investigations don’t point in this direction. Since it is brackish water that is salty, it is difficult to say,” said Dr. Chandrakant Porob, deputy director holding additional charge of the national vector borne disease control programme in Goa.
He added that while fogging the area may give temporary relief for a matter of eight days, it was up to the general public to take care that the source reduction is done by which mosquitoes are not allowed to breed.
“While fogging may help in killing the larvae that develop into the mosquito, there is the need to make sure the stagnant water that allows for their breeding to be controlled. The aim should be to stop the breeding of these vectors. In addition people should also make sure their windows are netted, they should be wearing long sleeves or use insect repellent creams,” said Dr. Porob.
And it is this crucial vector source reduction that will help in controlling the spread of the disease, he said. The July-November months that are known to cause an upsurge in the number of cases of Dengue need to given more attention.
According to the National Guidelines for Clinical Management of Dengue Fever, the main reasons for the cause of the increase in cases in recent years include construction activities, lifestyle changes and rise in temperature among other reasons.
“The population of Aedes aegypti fluctuates with rainfall and water storage. Its life span is influenced by temperature and humidity, survives best between 16º-30º C and a relative
humidity of 60-80%. Ae. aegypti breeds in the containers, in and around the houses,” it said.
Altitude is an important factor in limiting the distribution of Ae. aegypti, it is distributed between sea level and 1000 ft above sea level. Ae. aegypti is highly anthropophilic and rests in cool shady places. The rural spread of Ae. aegypti is a relatively recent occurrence associated with the development of rural water supply schemes, improved transport systems, scarcity of water and like style changes.
