Mysuru: Combating vector-borne diseases in the district figured prominently at the progress review meeting held at Zilla Panchayat office here recently.

Chairman of ZP Social Justice Standing Committee Beerihundi Basavanna, participating in the meeting, asked officials concerned to take immediate steps to clean the water storage tanks in villages. He pointed out that non-availability of good drinking water coupled with unhygienic conditions had resulted in an increase in suspected dengue cases. He disclosed that 18 to 20 deaths have been reported owing to viral fever which the Health Department claim was not due to Dengue. He sought a thorough report on the steps taken to curb the spread of Dengue.

Briefing the meeting, District Vector-Borne Diseases Control Officer Dr. Chidambara said that 321 cases in the district were confirmed as dengue and more patients were from rural areas. Mysuru taluk reported 44 cases and 33 from Nanjangud and situation was equally bad in T. Narasipur.

He stressed on the point that curbing mosquito menace was the primary work to check vector-borne diseases. In that context, the Health Department had constituted Rapid Response teams who were visiting houses and creating awareness on not storing drinking water for more than two days, maintaining cleanliness inside and outside the house.

The rural people are also being educated on stagnation of water where mosquitoes breed, explained Dr. Chidambara adding that instructions have been given to get water tanks cleaned and supply only treated drinking water.