Noida: With dengue and malaria cases beginning to rise during the monsoon, the health department has identified Barola, Surajpur, Kasna and Sector 50 among key dengue hotspots. It has intensified measures to prevent a wider outbreak.Officials said 21 dengue cases have been reported in the district so far. The department has stepped up its communicable disease control campaign, focusing on surveillance, source reduction and hospital preparedness.“Six to seven hotspots have been identified in Gautam Budh Nagar, including gated societies in Sector 50, Barola, Surajpur and Kasna. These hotspots are areas where dengue cases have already been reported or where conditions are conducive to the spread of mosquito-borne diseases,” a senior health official said. “During field surveillance, teams have detected mosquito larvae, stagnant water and other breeding sites in these localities.”RWAs have been asked to conduct cleanliness drives and eliminate water stagnation. The health official said residents are being regularly informed about preventive measures such as ensuring there is no water stagnation, overhead tanks and coolers are cleaned every week, water storage containers are covered and unused tyres and containers are disposed of on time. “Our special focus is on eliminating mosquito breeding sources before they lead to transmission,” he added.Officials said over 650 ASHA workers have been deployed across the district for door-to-door awareness drives, fever surveillance and identification of mosquito breeding sites. Health teams are also encouraging residents to seek medical attention promptly if they develop symptoms such as persistent fever, severe headache, body ache or rash.On July 1, Noida Authority launched a month-long fogging and anti-larval drive across the city. A health worker associated with the drive said each team covers two to three sectors daily, with fogging and anti-larval spraying carried out between 5pm and 8pm.Neighbouring Ghaziabad has also reported an increase in vector-borne diseases, with five malaria cases and four dengue cases recorded so far this season. Both Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad have additionally reported two cases each of scrub typhus.“Scrub typhus is a bacterial infection transmitted through the bite of infected chigger mites, which are commonly found in grassy fields, bushes and areas with dense vegetation,” a district health official said. “People should avoid sitting or walking through overgrown vegetation without proper clothing, wear full-sleeved garments while working outdoors, use insect repellents and seek medical care immediately if fever persists after outdoor exposure.”Last year, Noida recorded 650 dengue cases while the number in Ghaziabad was 343. There were 189 cases of malaria reported in Noida and 92 in Ghaziabad.
