Chennai keeps diseases at bay!

Preetha Shankar

After severe spells of rain flooded most of the the city and large parts of the State, Chennai and areas surrounding the city is slowly getting back to normalcy. Subways, hospitals, roads got flooded and entire localities were underwater for the better part of the week.

Even as water recedes after isolating Chennai for a week, the metro is staring at huge mounts of debris and waste that threatens to trigger disease outbreaks. Authorities and volunteers are working overtime to disinfect streets and homes and prevent any epidemic that could follow a flood.

The government said no such disease has been reported so far but efforts are being taken on a war footing to face any emergency. Almost a ton of waste has been disposed of from the city.

Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa said each family will be given half kilo bleaching powder to disinfect their surroundings and 20 chlorine tablets to purify drinking water. the government is distributing 2000 ton bleaching powder and 1 crore chlorine tablets. 

“So far, we have no large-scale incidence of fever and diarrhoea, two conditions that we are expecting at this stage,” explains a senior health department official. The proven protocol in such circumstances is a combination of surveillance and prevention activities, watching out for the outbreak of diseases and ensuring that the factors that contribute to it are removed.

Several doctors, who screened patients in various parts of Chennai, said the city is so far free from any major disease. “Health situation is completely under the control. Other than usual fever and skin infections, no major cases were reported today. Some of the medicines, including ointments for infections, were also made available from Tuesday,” said a senior government doctor who has screened over 500 patients. 

Meanwhile, most of Chennai has bounced back to life. Citizens were going about their lives as if nothing had happened. Transport and communication facilities have been restored. Electricity is back but for a few places.