Chennai records 4,600 fever cases so far in September: Corporation

The number of fever cases reported in Chennai increased from 4,400 in August to 4,600 so far in September, according to Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).

At a press meet on Sunday, GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran said that around 95% of dengue cases were self-limiting and managed at home, while about 5% required hospitalisation.

An analysis of fever trends over the past two months showed higher numbers in institutional areas, including IIT-Madras, Anna University, Presidency College, Victoria Hostel, and the Madras University, where large numbers of students reside.

At Victoria Hostel, students had reported issues with housekeeping, hygiene, food preparation and infrastructure. The GCC has asked the college authorities and university registrar to address the issues raised and offer assistance.

Around 100 students have volunteered to join dengue prevention work with GCC field workers, Mr. Sameeran said. The Corporation has deployed 3,690 domestic breeding checkers, who cover 80 to 100 houses a day, followed by mop-up operations in identified hotspots.

At a medical camp at Anna University on Sunday, 378 people were screened. Of these, seven had fever, 44 had upper respiratory infections, six had myalgia, three had skin rashes and three had conjunctivitis, a press release said.

The GCC has collected ₹5.56 lakh in fines over the past 20 days for violations involving stagnant water, mainly from commercial institutions. Mr. Sameeran said the Corporation was conducting around 100 health camps every day, with more than 4,000 people benefiting from the camps over the past 20 days.