Specially-abled man launches fight against dengue in Puducherry

Oct 28, 2023

Puducherry [India], October 28 : Amidst the menace of dengue, Joseph, a specially-abled person in Puducherry's Mudaliarpet constituency has taken it upon himself to spray mosquito repellent to protect children from dengue and malaria in his area.
This comes amidst a health agency warning in Puducherry that the changing environment is causing new species of mosquitoes, including dengue mosquitoes, to emerge.

"I walk two or three streets twice a day, morning and evening, spraying mosquito repellent as much as I can. This makes my heart happy and I am appreciated by public," he told ANI.
The Puducherry government should make a serious effort in the health sector to eliminate mosquitoes and save children from the spread of diseases like dengue and malaria, he said.
"I appeal to the public to buy mosquito repellent, spray the streets and keep their streets clean so that your children do not get infected with diseases like malaria and dengue," he added.
According to the National Centre for Vector Borne Disease Control, 1,233 dengue cases and two fatalities were registered in Puducherry until September 17.
Dengue cases usually spike in September and in the first two weeks of October, and as the temperatures begin to drop gradually, dengue cases also come down as temperatures of around 20°C make the environment inhospitable for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which causes dengue. But this year, despite the temperature going down, the cases are still on the rise, causing worry for the administration.