Mohali at present has been witnessing a positivity rate of 39.1 per cent for dengue, with the district Deputy Commissioner leaving no stone unturned to check the spread of the mosquito-borne disease. Mohali civil surgeon on Monday, on directions of the DC, carried out an inspection drive in vulnerable areas and found larvae breeding in at least 11 houses.

According to the health department data, a total of 879 dengue cases had been reported from Mohali till October 11, with nine suspected deaths also being reported due to the disease. As many as 453 cases were reported in October alone, with 344 cases being reported last month.

The Deputy Commissioner (DC), Isha Kalia, said that the district administration had chalked out a comprehensive strategy focusing on micro-management and setting a target for the next seven days specifically for the prevention of the disease, under which multipurpose health workers will now be deployed on dengue prevention duty for the next few days.

The DC also directed officials to launch a public awareness campaign, while asking officials of the health department, municipal committees, and other concerned departments to conduct household surveys in the morning and initiate fogging after 5 PM. DC Kalia on Monday also received first-hand information from the health department and municipal committees about the spread of the disease and dengue prevention teams deployed in their areas during the meeting with health and civic officials.

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Dengue is spread by several species of female mosquitoes of the Aedes genus, principally Aedes aegypti.

Civil surgeon carries out inspection
After The Indian Express reported on Monday that the district had reported a steep hike in the number of dengue cases, the district health department intensified its anti-larvae checking to curb the spread of the vector-borne disease.

Mohali civil surgeon, Dr Adarshpal Kaur, and district epidemiologist, Dr Vikrant Nagra, on Monday visited Phase 10, 11 and village Fatehullapur and inspected the ongoing survey and inspection drives and gave necessary instructions to the teams. Health officials inspected the coolers, fridge trays, pots, empty tires in various houses. The civil surgeon said that larvae was found in five houses in Phase-10 and one in Phase 11, with larvae also being found in five houses in Fatehullapur. A total of 6 challans were issued to the violators while the first-time offenders were given a stern warning. She appealed to the people to not let water stagnate anywhere as dengue causing mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, like water-filled containers and abandoned tires, in and around households.