By 2020, Mysuru will be declared ‘malaria-free’, says the Health Department

Mysuru district reported nil malaria cases last year and no cases have been detected since January this year.

The Department of Health and Family Welfare has set a vision to completely eradicate malaria and declare Mysuru a ‘malaria-free’ district by 2020. Accordingly, various steps had been taken that were proving to be effective in containing the disease.

Unlike dengue, no deaths had occurred because of malaria in the district since 2012 though cases had been reported. However, the number of cases also declined with each year, according to statistics from the department. In 2016, about 43 malaria cases were reported. Out of 2,06,046 blood samples tested since January this year, none tested positive for malaria, said Chidambara S., District Vector Borne Diseases Control Officer, Mysuru.

The department on Friday observed National Dengue Day and a procession was taken out on the main streets of the city to educate people on preventing dengue and other vector-borne diseases.

June is observed as anti-malaria month. Integrated vector management, early detection and complete treatment, active and passive surveillance, malaria clinics, contact survey and fever treatment depots were among the measures focussed on by the department to counter malaria in the district

Dengue, Chikungunya

In Mysuru, 12 dengue and four chikungunya cases had been detected since January this year. Dengue has been on the rise. Last year, 843 cases were detected and two succumbed to the infection. In the same year, 78 chikungunya cases were reported. Though the number of chikungunya cases declined since 2016, dengue is increasing. In 2015, 382 cases were reported while 582 cases were reported in 2016.