Malaria cases reduced to 40 % in Srikakulam

Srikakulam: District medical and health officer (DM&HO) and district malaria officer (DMO) responded to a news story published in The Hans India on Monday with headline ‘589 villages hit by malaria in Srikakulam.’ DM&HO Dr Sanapala Tirupathi Rao and DMO Dr G Veerraju said 40 per cent of malaria positive cases reduced in the three years in the district when compared to 2015.

They said in 2015, in total 1,143 positive cases were reported, in 2016, the number of cases falls to 693, in 2017, the number of positive cases were 592. This year till June 11, a total of 1,92, 574 blood samples were collected, of them 105 positive cases were detected.

Based on the epidemiological parameters for three years from 2015 to 2018, we have selected 589 villages in Sitampeta, Palakonda, Veeragattam, Bhamini, Sompeta, Kotturu, Mandasa, Meliaputti and Pathapatnam mandals located in Agency areas for spraying of insecticides and anti-larva medicine. In all the villages, anti-larva operations were conducted in eight spells from May 15 to June 30, they elaborated.

As part of preventive measures, we have selected 589 villages in nine mandals for anti-larva operations. Situation is under control in all 589 villages and only less number of malaria positive cases reported in these villages for the last three years, they explained.

We are continuing anti-larva operations involving local bodies and field level health officers and will take assistance of students also to create awareness among public on malaria, they added.