Cuttack, July 9: Sanitation workers will go door to door to take stock of the situation in its fight to prevent further spread of dengue.

"The door-to-door checks will start on Monday. We will press 500 anganwadi workers, accredited social health activists and health workers into service in all the 59 wards under the municipal corporation area to check for containers storing stagnant water where dengue mosquito larvae can breed," city health officer P.K. Pradhan told The Telegraph today.

"We have set a target of covering 12,500 to 15,000 households daily. The checks will continue for a fortnight. It will create awareness about dengue and tell residents to remove old tyres, broken containers and other items, where the mosquitoes can breed, from their surroundings," Pradhan said.

The Jagatpur industrial estate and adjoining villages outside the civic body area have reported 27 dengue cases in the past six days.

"The health workers conducting the door-to-door checks will also look out for people suffering from fever for three or more days to make sure that they are checked. This will ensure timely treatment in case they test positive for dengue," Pradhan said.

The dengue outbreak has been attributed to poor hygiene and sanitation and accumulation of rainwater in and around the industrial estate where the civic body's health wing had confirmed the presence of Aedes aegypti larvae, which carry the dengue virus.

Chief district medical officer Prafulla Behera said mosquito breeding sites could be found behind refrigerators and flower pots. "Water from air conditioners also help dengue mosquitoes breed. These spots should be cleaned every day," he said.

Civic officials said they had formed 59 teams to clear blockages in drainage channels and maintain sanitation. "We will carry out anti-mosquito fogging and spray larvicide oil on a daily basis in all wards from Monday," a civic official said.

Municipal commissioner Gyana Das said: "We are trying to ensure that there are no blockages in drainage channels owing to the ongoing construction of the integrated sanitation project."

In a related development, the number of dengue patients admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital has reached 52.