The district has reported 150 suspected and 46 confirmed dengue cases within three days in June.
As waste management continues to be a major headache in the city, the impending monsoon season raises fears of further spread of communicable diseases.
“Choornikkara, Thrikkakara, Payipra, Mookkannur and Vazhakulam are in the grip of a dengue fever outbreak. More cases are reported from rural areas when compared to city limits,” said a health official.
As many as 114 suspected and 55 confirmed leptospirosis cases were reported from Ernakulam this year so far. A patient died of suspected leptospirosis at Vennala on Saturday.
It has been decided to resume PCR tests at public health laboratories to confirm such cases.
“The major issue the district is facing now is dengue cases as the number of cases were less last year. We are focusing on municipality and panchayat areas where cases are high,” said a health official.
Two suspected dengue deaths were reported in March.
As sources of dengue fever cases are mostly indoor, health workers are engaged in indoor space spraying to kill aedes aegypti mosquitoes.
As part of pre-monsoon disease prevention activities, an awareness programme was held for ASHA workers in the corporation limit on Saturday.
