Mandsaur (MP), Oct 17 As many as 23 malaria cases have been reported from five villages in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district, prompting the health department to launch door-to-door surveys and intensify measures to check the outbreak, officials said on Saturday.
The cases were reported from Kotdi Tank, Chhoti Kotdi, Bhanpura Chhatri, Thagi and Barodiya villages in Bhanpura block, around 150 kilometres from the district headquarters, they added.
The cases surfaced five to six days ago but the situation is now under control, Collector Divyak Singh told PTI and Bhasha.
“No patient is seriously ill with malaria. The Garoth sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and block medical officer (BMO) have visited the affected villages. Two deaths reported in the area have not been confirmed as malaria-related,” the collector said.
The health department is conducting an audit to establish the cause of the death in the two cases, officials said.
According to the health department, teams surveyed 643 houses and inspected 2,969 containers for mosquito larvae.
“Larvae were found in 46 houses and destroyed immediately. Rapid diagnostic tests were conducted on 216 persons, 15 of whom tested positive for malaria. In addition, 153 blood slides were prepared, with 13 testing positive,” an official said.
The department has formed special teams to intensify surveillance and prevent the spread of infection. Fogging and pyrethrum spraying are being carried out in affected areas, while temephos (insecticide and larvicide) is being added to drains to destroy mosquito larvae.
Health workers are also visiting households to educate residents about preventive measures.
Dr R K Dwivedi of the health department urged residents to use mosquito nets while sleeping, prevent water from stagnating around their homes and seek medical attention promptly if they develop a fever.
He also suggested measures to keep mosquitoes away in the evening.
(PTI News)
