17,000 dengue cases reported in Tamil Nadu this year: Health Minister Arunraj

Around 17,000 dengue cases have been reported in the State so far this year, a figure lower than the number recorded two years ago, Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare K.G. Arunraj said at the Erode Collectorate here on Monday.

Speaking to reporters after participating in a video conference chaired by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to review preparedness for the northeast monsoon, Mr. Arunraj said preventive measures were being taken to check the spread of dengue. He stressed the need to prevent mosquito breeding, particularly in stagnant rainwater.

The Aedes mosquito that transmits dengue can breed even in a small containers holding rainwater and generally bites during the daytime, he said.

Adequate beds were available in government hospitals, and doctors had also been instructed to follow the standard treatment protocol for patients reporting fever.