By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Intermittent rain received in the last few days has resulted in an increase in the number of water-borne diseases in the district. As many as 33,483 cases of fever including dengue and leptospirosis, were reported in the district this month alone. Among these, 140 dengue cases were reported since July, according to reports from the Integrated Diseases Surveillance Programme (IDSP). This month alone, 40 dengue cases were reported. “Intermittent rain during the last few weeks has caused the spike in water-borne diseases. Vigilance is necessary,” said P P Preetha, district medical officer (DMO). The Health Department has stepped up efforts to control the spread of diseases. “In areas where high-vector index is reported, we do fogging, space spraying, and focal spraying under furniture inside houses to prevent mosquito breeding,'' said the DMO. To tackle the issue, the Health Department has created awareness programmes regarding the spread of leptospirosis among agricultural and manual labourers. Apart from conducting cleaning drives in the city, the District Vector Control Unit also monitors the vector index in areas under the Corporation. S Vinod, a biologist at the District Vector Control Unit, said: “Stagnant water on terraces and in flowerpots is the primary cause for the rise in dengue fever. The Aedes Aegypti (yellow fever mosquitoes) do not breed in groundwater, they only breed in stagnant water. Schools have been issued directions to clean their surroundings. Shopping malls, government and private offices have also been instructed to keep premises clean."

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