Officials on alert as dengue cases rise

HYDERABAD

The Health Department has intensified dengue surveillance and control measures across the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) following an increase in reported dengue cases.

In a review meeting held at the Central Malaria Office on Saturday, Additional Director Padmaja of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Program (NVBDCP), along with officials from the Central Malaria Office, Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts, GHMC, Metropolitan Surveillance Unit and private hospitals, reviewed the situation and issued a series of directives.

Officials have been instructed to verify dengue case records on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) portal daily, ensure accurate patient details and correct duplicate or incorrect records within 24 hours to facilitate effective case tracking. Government health institutions have been asked to upload full addresses and contact details, while field officers have been asked to verify all positive cases and submit action-taken reports within 48 hours.

The department also directed officials to cross-report cases belonging to other districts or states through the portal within 24 hours and reiterated the need to upload lymphatic filariasis cases on the designated IHIP portal. Weekly reviews of IHIP and IDSP data will be conducted to monitor reporting quality.

Clinic fever

Mobile health camps and fever clinics will be organized this week at high-risk locations across GHMC. The camps will provide fever screening, rapid diagnostic tests for dengue if needed, free medical consultations and public awareness on prevention of mosquito-borne diseases.

GHMC entomologists and the Metropolitan Surveillance Unit will carry out targeted vector control measures including larval source management, entomological surveillance and fogging whenever required. Community teams will also promote household resource reduction and distribute larva control kits.

The ministry said the camps will target vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, infants, the elderly and people with co-morbidities, while ensuring that serious cases are referred to nearby hospitals.

Published – 4 Jul 2026 23:14 IST