Home / Health / El Nino Threatens TN: Water Storage Risks Dengue
El Nino Threatens TN: Water Storage Risks Dengue
5 Aug
Summary
- El Nino may reduce rainfall in Tamil Nadu this year.
- Water storage risks can create breeding sites for mosquitoes.
- Fever surveillance intensified with 5,781 hospitals monitoring.
Tamil Nadu is preparing for potential health challenges linked to the El Nino effect, which may bring reduced rainfall this year. Health Minister K.G. Arunraj warned that decreased precipitation could lead to water hoarding, thereby increasing the risk of dengue transmission by Aedes mosquitoes. He stressed the importance of public cooperation in allowing domestic breeding checkers access to homes to identify and eliminate mosquito breeding sites.
The state is actively intensifying fever surveillance, with continuous monitoring of infectious diseases occurring across 5,781 government and private hospitals. A total of 4,083 laboratories are mandated to upload daily disease information. The government has deployed 38 District Rapid Response Teams and 385 Block Rapid Response Teams, ready to swiftly address any detected disease outbreaks, including confirmation and control measures.
Authorities have been directed to ensure dedicated fever wards and clinics in government hospitals are fully operational. Ensuring adequate supplies of medicines, laboratory facilities, medical equipment, sufficient beds, and robust emergency care arrangements are top priorities. The focus is on preventing monsoon-related infectious diseases.
