Dengue testing stepped up in Chennai, over 4,500 cases recorded this year
With dengue cases crossing 4,500 in areas under the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), the Tamil Nadu Health Department has directed that all fever cases be tested for dengue as a precautionary measure. Principal Secretary to Government (Health and Family Welfare) Darez Ahamed said on Sunday that no dengue-related deaths had been reported so far, even as the State continues to expand testing and prevention efforts.
Expanded testing and surveillance
Speaking to reporters after reviewing dengue prevention activities in the Teynampet Zone, Mr. Ahamed said Tamil Nadu had recorded 20,000 dengue cases to date this year. In Chennai alone, 16,254 tests have been conducted and 4,592 people have been diagnosed with dengue.
According to officials, 1,293 cases were recorded in September in the city. To strengthen surveillance and early detection, the Health Department has instructed that every fever case be tested. The city is also scaling up on-ground response, with more than 100 medical camps being conducted daily and 3,703 mosquito eradication workers deployed across various zones.
Field inspections and vector control
Mr. Ahamed inspected a special fever prevention medical camp at East Namasivayapuram in Teynampet Zone and reviewed vector-control operations along the Cooum, including drone-based larvicide spraying. He also went door-to-door to distribute awareness pamphlets and engage with residents on Sunday.
GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran, who accompanied the Principal Secretary during the inspections, said the incidence of dengue in Chennai was gradually declining. He added that intensive prevention and vector-control measures would continue across the city to sustain the downward trend.
Stormwater drain desilting and monsoon preparedness
As part of broader monsoon preparedness and to address water stagnation that can aid mosquito breeding, the Corporation has intensified work on key civic infrastructure. Mr. Sameeran said desilting of 44 waterways was under way, alongside the use of drone-based biological solutions to target breeding sites.
Of the 1,600 km of stormwater drains identified with blockages, 1,400 km have been desilted, the Commissioner said. The remaining 200 km will be completed within the week. Chennai has over 3,000 km of stormwater drains, in addition to 250 km under the Highways Department. Priority works under the Mamallan Reservoir project are planned for completion in October.
Funding and enforcement measures
To support pre-monsoon and monsoon precautionary works, the GCC has allocated ₹100 crore, and there is no shortage of funds for these tasks, Mr. Sameeran said. For long-term capital projects aimed at strengthening urban infrastructure and resilience, the Corporation plans to seek foreign financial assistance, including support from the World Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
In parallel, the civic body has stepped up enforcement against sanitation violations. Over the past month, fines totalling ₹7.2 lakh were imposed on commercial establishments, organisations and households for failing to remove garbage, the Commissioner said.
Ongoing response
Health officials reiterated that rigorous testing, robust vector-control operations, and public awareness are central to the city’s dengue response. With intensified field inspections, daily medical camps, and infrastructure upgrades proceeding in tandem, authorities expressed confidence that the decline in dengue incidence can be sustained through the remainder of the monsoon season.
