Thiruvananthapuram: Health minister K.K. Shylaja has directed the health department to step up disease control and prevention activities in the wake of the death of a 6-year-old child in Malappuram due to West Nile fever.
The minister asked the director of health services and district medical officers to keep a close watch on patients coming with suspected symptoms of West Nile Fever.
The authorities have also been directed to make arrangements for providing special medical care to the people with suspected symptoms in hospitals, community and primary health centres.
Since the fever spreads through mosquitoes, district health authorities have been asked to step up anti-mosquito drive across the state particularly in areas with suspected West Nile fever virus.
Vector control measures and fogging operations have also been scaled up.The minister said that effective preventive steps were being taken in vulnerable areas. There is no need for panic. The situation is under control," she said.
A high-level medical team was sent to the areas where West Nile virus was reported in Malappuram district. The team comprising state epidemiologist, district vector control unit and district veterinary unit had taken all preventive measures to check the spread of the disease.
