Times of India
19 April 2010
Ahmedabad, India

Stored water ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes in summer
Rising mercury level have provided conducive environment for breeding of aedes aegypti mosquito on account of accumulating stagnant water. According to Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), more than 55 cases of dengue have been reported till now.

Medical officer, AMC, Suhas Kulkarni said, “Dengue is now an endemic disease. In summer, people tend to store water in large containers and also in air coolers which are run continuously. But, they forget to take preventive measures as stored water becomes an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes.” he added.

As a preventive measure one can put 20 to 30 ml of oil, preferably kerosene or petrol in stored water to curb mosquito breeding. The water can be used for purposes other than drinking.

At present, the worst affected areas are in north zone of AMC which include Naroda–Muthia, Asarwa, Sardarnagar, Potalia, Saraspur, Nava Naroda, among others which have turned into virtual breeding grounds.

The north zone has reported over 15 dengue cases and same situation prevails in east zone which reported the same number of cases from Bapunagar, Rakhial, Gomtipur, Amraiwadi, Khokhra, Bhaipura, Hatkeshawar, Nikol, Odhav and Vastral–Ramol.

The new west zone areas of AMC reported three dengue cases. Recently, AMC conducted an intra–domestic breeding elimination round in six municipal zones of AMC. A senior AMC official said, “More than 1,300 workers visited 14 lakh houses for checking growth of mosquitoes.” According to AMC officials, dengue is a ‘self limiting disease’ and less than one percent of cases go for complications.

Kulkarni said, “Wherever positive cases of dengue are found, fogging of surrounding areas is done. In day–old fever cases, we send the blood samples for testing.” In 2008, the total number of dengue cases reported from city crossed 400 and last year it was more than 250 cases.

160% rise in dengue cases in 2009
The aedes aegypti mosquito has sharpened its bite on the people of state as a whopping 160 per cent rise in dengue cases was reported in the state in 2009.

The Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) data revealed that last year, a total 1,605 cases of dengue were reported from Gujarat, an increase of 160 per cent from 615 cases reported in 2008. The incidence rate was 3 cases per 1 lakh population. In Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Anand and Rajkot, the surveillance units reported significantly higher number of cases as compared to last year.

The incidence reported in 2009 was significantly higher than the mean rate of last five years. Majority 1,361 cases were admitted or recorded in six medical colleges, of which maximum 445 were reported from Rajkot Medical College. In Bhavnagar Medical College, 261 cases were reported while 255 cases were reported in Vadodara Medical College. The increasing trend was reported during monsoon season from June upto October.