The Hindu
Mangalore, Jul 18: As it pours heavily, does the water collect in that old grinding stone in a corner of the terrace? Do you have potted plants at home in which water is logged for weeks without being changed? Have you just forgotten to change the water in the flower vase for several weeks ? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” you are contributing to malaria in the city.
The female anopheles mosquito which transmits malaria, breeds in clean water. So, any surface where clean water is collected could be a potential breeding ground for them. They could be tins, bottles, tyres or overhead tanks.
“If the breeding spots in all the 98,000 houses of Mangalore are cleared, malaria can be controlled to a very large extent”, Gopal Krishna Delampady, Senior Health Inspector, Malaria Control Cell, Mangalore City Corporation, told The Hindu.
If the initial warnings to clean the breeding spots are not heeded to, the Malaria Control Cell officials impose a fine of Rs. 50 on the residents. “This measure has become necessary to ensure compliance”, Mr. Delampady said.
Protecting oneself from mosquito bites is essential to protect oneself from malaria.
The female anopheles mosquito enters a house between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. and 5 a.m and 6 p.m. So, keep the doors and windows shut during these hours. Avoid piling up large stacks of clothes or creating any other dark corners where mosquitoes can rest. The female anopheles mosquito is most active between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. with peak activity around midnight. Given these facts, using a mosquito net at night is an absolute necessity.
Finally, early detection and early treatment can go a long way in reducing malaria. This is important not just for the sake of the patient but overall malaria control, as treatment will mean that one less carrier of malaria.
In the case of fever accompanied by headache or chill, make sure you consult a doctor. Free blood testing is available at the Malaria Control Cells in Jeppu, Bejai and Bunder, apart from Mangalore City Corporation office in Lalbagh, and Government Wenlock Hospital.