Spread of viral fever still grave

The spread of viral fever in South and Central parts of Kerala continues to be grave with no let up in the number of persons getting affected by the disease which has claimed at least 60 lives in the last two months.

While the Health Department claimed that the situation was under control as the rate of casualties per day had begun to come down, reports from across the state on Sunday showed that the government hospitals and medical camps in Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Kollam, Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram were crowded with patients.

The district-wise count indicated that at least 15,000 people were still in hospitals, the worst-hit Pathanamthitta topping the list with 4251 cases that include 143 suspected cases of chikungunya cases.

There was no decline in flow of patients to hospitals in other fever-hit districts like Idukki, Kottayam, Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha.

Isolated cases of malaria and dengue had also been reported from some parts of the state.

While defence medical teams are conducting medical camps, mobile medical aid and fogging and spraying to control mosquitoes, medical and paramedical associations, youth outfits and NGOs are also helping authorities to tackle the situation.