Filariasis threat hits the Kochi
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According to the health department, the urban areas in the district, especially those within the corporation, are in danger of a filariasis outbreak.
During the past few years, the number of filariasis patients in the city have risen. More than 75 per cent of the patients in the district are from the corporation area.
Out of the 1,899 filariasis cases reported in the district so far, 1,300 patients are from the corporation area.
The district medical office has warned that all the 74 wards in the corporation area are vulnerable to the spread of filariasis.
“Lack of awareness is a major issue. Mosquito eradication is a major part of the anti-filarial campaign and mass participation is necessary for mosquito eradication.
People should guard against mosquito bites, especially in the morning and at night when the disease-spreading mosquitoes are active,” said Dr R. Sudhak-arana, district medical officer.
Mass drug administration is an effective method to prevent the disease, he added.
The district administration will undertake a community-level filariasis tre-atment programme from April 26 to April 28.
As part of the programme, anti-filarial drugs will be provided to all persons in the corporation area, exce-pt pregnant women and children below the age of two.
The authorities have identified 13,650 volunteers in various institutions to carry out the supervised drug administration.
Filariasis is spread by culex mosquitoes. Accordi-ng to medical experts, once the disease sets in, there is no permanent cure, so the best way is to control the spread of the disease.
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