Rain caused a spurt in fever cases: Tamil Nadu health minister

CHENNAI: Recent rain caused a spurt in fever cases in Tamil Nadu, health minister Ma Subramanian said on Saturday. Complaints about persistent dry cough had increased in the past few days, he said.

The minister, who inaugurated the third seasonal fever screening camp organised by the Directorate of Public Health, said, “The camp will be organised in at least 1,000 places across the city to identify fever cases and initiate early treatment. We have screened more than one lakh people in the last two camps and found at least 400 people with fever. Timely medical treatment prevents complications and deaths,” he said.

Two more camps will be held on November 18 and November 25 and during all weekends in December, he said.

At least 487 mobile medical units and 805 Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram vehicles are used for the camp.

Tamil Nadu recorded eight dengue deaths and 6,000 cases of the viral infection in 2023.

“Dengue cases increase once in every five years. It was high in 2012 and 2017. The cycle is repeating this year,” he said.

“The state has adequate government hospitals. But we are taking the screening facility close to people’s homes,” he said.