Students take out the awareness rally at Birsanagar on Sunday. Picture by Srinivas

Jamshedpur, Nov. 14: Not withstanding an array of measures taken, dengue refuses to ease its sting on the East Singhbhum district, with the number of suspected cases crossing the 500 mark today.

The quantum jump in the number of dengue cases this year, including three deaths, has prompted health officials to undertake measures and intensify awareness programmes so as not to see a repeat of the same next year.

“Through increased awareness we will try educate the masses to check the spread of the disease. Village fairs weekly bazaars and schools in the rural areas as well as in townships will be targeted. Pamphlets and posters will be distributed in areas which do not come under the municipal area,” said Swarn Singh, district medical surveillance officer, East Singhbhum.

The pamphlet will educate the masses about the disease, the ways in which it is spread and mosquitoes as carriers. They will also contain certain dos and don’ts to save oneself from the mosquito menace.

Apart from pamphlets, street plays and procession by school students would also help reach out and educate residents of rural pockets as well as bustee areas.

“Dengue spreads only through mosquito bites and can be fatal, people need to understand that. We can only prevent the spread of this vector borne disease by destroying all probable mosquito breeding sites,” said Singh.

Meanwhile, concerned over the unprecedented growth of dengue this year, health officials under Jamshedpur Utility Service Company (Jusco) have begun an exercise of searching for stagnant water in households and overturning them.

“Flower vases are the best places for mosquitoes to breed. We are undertaking a search of each household in areas from where the maximum number of dengue cases have been reported,” said a Jusco official. He added that directives had been issued to change water in vases every day.

Jusco is curently carrying out the drive at Sonari, Sitaramdera, Bhuiyandih, Uliyan in Kadma, Birsanagar and Baridih.

Jusco has started such campaign at Sonari, Sitaramdera, Bhuiyandih, Uliyan in Kadma, Birsanagar and also in Baridih.