Nedumkandam: Idukki is yet to recover from the ravages of rain, landslides and flood that struck it a couple of months ago. Adding to the misery, the hilly district is now in the grip of diseases. Viral fever is rampant, while chicken pox cases have shown a steep increase.
A whopping 20,116 people have sought treatment for viral fever alone in government hospitals in the past three months, the health department stated. The count is well over a lakh patients in the past one year. But private sector hospitals put the number of people affected by viral fever as double the government estimate.
A huge increase has also been noticed in the number of chicken pox cases. Government hospitals have handled 399 cases in three months. Seven people were affected by dengue fever during the same period, while 55 had tomato fever, an unidentified fever rife in India. Twenty cases of rat fever, 17 typhoid and four jaundice infections and one malaria case have been confirmed.
Government hospitals in the district alone received 220 fever cases on Saturday. A total of 5,331 people sought medical care for fever in the district this month.
Avoid self-treatment
The fever-affected have been told to ensure care from hospitals, use only boiled and cooled water and keep surroundings clean. The department warns people to avoid buying drugs from medical shops on the advice of pharmacists.
Curb mosquitoes or pay fine
The health department had warned people to ensure that the growth of mosquitoes is prevented, or pay a penalty for failure and face a case too. Six people were served with notices in the Nedumkandam area. The health authorities also levied a fine of Rs 500 each from two people.
Odds galore
The health department says it has been conducting pre-monsoon disease prevention work since January in all panchayats. The department however is short of doctors, including specialists, and other employees. Those who are available put in extra effort. Local people complain that doctors turn up only once in a week at several health centres.
