Chennai fever cases rise to 4,600 in September, GCC steps up dengue prevention

Fever cases in Chennai have climbed to 4,600 so far in September, up from 4,400 in August, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) said. The figures were shared by GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran at a press meet on Sunday.

Mr. Sameeran said about 95% of dengue cases were self-limiting and managed at home, while roughly 5% required hospitalisation.

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

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

Around 100 students have volunteered to support dengue prevention work alongside GCC field workers, the Commissioner 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. Seven had fever, 44 had upper respiratory infections, six had myalgia, three had skin rashes and three had conjunctivitis, according to a press release.

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 them over the past 20 days.