The Health authorities have reportedly stepped up activities to prevent the outbreak of communicable diseases after the heavy rain that lashed the district in the past fortnight led to landslips and flood-like situation in many areas.
There is a possibility of communicable diseases being reported in places that have seen large-scale natural calamities such as floods. Leptospirosis, malaria, dengue and typhoid fevers, diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory infections, viral hepatitis, and meningitis are some of the commonly found diseases in such areas.
The district has already seen a spurt in dengue cases and one death due to the disease in the past few weeks. There have been 47 confirmed and 433 suspected dengue cases between June 1 and June 23.
Seven malaria cases, including among local residents and migrant labourers, were reported during the period.
Eight cases of leptospirosis and one death due to the disease were reported from areas such as Choloor, Ramanattukara, Thalakkulathur, and Kozhikode city this month.
Health workers have been undertaking cleaning activities in areas where water levels have risen above normal.
Chlorination
Sources in the department said wells in such places were super-chlorinated. Mosquito-eradication drives were being taken up in public places, and drives are being undertaken to create awareness among people to keep their premises clean.
Local bodies such as grama panchayats have been asked to distribute doxycycline tablets among labourers engaged in farming and cleaning of ponds, wells, and drainages, as a preventive measure against leptospirosis.
People have been warned against fishing in water-logged areas too.