A senior official of the medical and health department said: “Leaves have been cancelled with effect from Tuesday. Those who have gone on a leave will also have to return. The leaves have been cancelled till further orders.”

The state has also directed nodal offices to go to the affected areas and run ‘Dengue Mukt Rajasthan’ campaign from 20 October to 3 November to check the outbreak of the diseases. 

As per health minister Raghu Sharma, under the campaign, 24X7 control rooms and rapid response teams have been formed in all districts to carry out anti-larva exercise and awareness activities, among other measures.

Sharma held a video conference meeting with all Chief Medical Health Officers (CMHOs), Principal Medical Officers and other officials of the health department and issued necessary directions.

He reviewed the arrangements made to curb the outbreak of seasonal diseases, besides carrying out coronavirus vaccination and testing.

According to the statement, he asked officials to carry out anti-larva exercise in 50 adjoining houses if a patient of malaria, dengue or chikungunya is found in any house.

Officials have been asked to conduct awareness activities on the prevention of seasonal diseases.

Instructions have also been given to maintain a regular supply of adequate medicines for seasonal diseases and to conduct door-to-door surveys in the affected areas and identify and treat patients.

Rajasthan has reported 6,797 cases of dengue and other seasonal diseases this year till October 18, with the highest of 1,411 reported in Jaipur, an official said. 

Dengue in Delhi 

From door-to-door survey to check breeding of mosquito larvae to displaying thematic panels in metro trains, civic bodies in Delhi have intensified anti-dengue campaigns to check spread of the vector-borne disease and raise awareness on its prevention amid a spike in cases.

The national capital has seen a surge in dengue cases in the last two weeks and the first death due to it was reported on Monday, a senior official said, adding that the deceased was a woman, aged about 35, who lived in Metro Colony in Sarita Vihar of south Delhi.

With inputs from agencies.