Personal hygiene key to containing diseases: Health Secretary

Addressing the media before the commencement of joint coordination meeting of four districts on the communicable diseases on Saturday, he said that there were several other fevers caused by virus and not all of them were dengue. “The situation in the state is well under control, the minister said. 

Along with State Minister for Cooperation Sellur K Raju, Madurai Collector K Veera Rahgav Rao, Corporation Commissioner Sandeep Nanduri, he visited an exhibition that was setup to create awareness about the spread of dengue and other communicable diseases at the meeting venue. The objects where mosquitoes breed and how they spread dengue were showcased in the exhibition. 

In the meeting, Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare department, said that one per cent of population is always affected by fever and during the monsoon season the number would increase to 1.5 to 2 per cent, according to World Health Organisation (WHO).

He said that officials need to play a key role in combating the spread of communicable diseases. “If five patients from the same locality are affected with same disease, then officials should visit the locality and must check for spread of disease. If personal hygiene is followed, most of the diseases would be eradicated,” Radhakrishnan said.