Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Health Department in Indore has initiated a drone survey to tackle rising dengue cases in the city. On Wednesday, the survey was conducted in Bhanwarkuan and Vishnupuri areas, uncovering numerous mosquito breeding sites. District Malaria Officer Dr Daulat Patel reported that open tanks, tyres and other sources of stagnant water conducive to larva generation were identified at 198 locations.
In response to these findings, health department teams will urge residents to cover tanks and eliminate stagnant water. Following this, drones will be deployed to spray chemicals to eradicate larvae at these sites. ‘Drones will be used to prevent the rapidly increasing dengue infection in the city and eliminate dengue mosquitoes,’ Dr Patel stated.
Currently, the number of dengue patients in Indore has reached 113 and no new case was found on Wednesday. To address this, high-tech drones have been provided to the health department for the first time, marking a significant step in dengue control efforts. Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr BS Saitya explained that drones will help identify mosquito hotspots throughout the state.
‘With the help of drones, areas for mosquitoes breeding will be defined. There are large buildings, open water tanks, tyres and many other places where larvae can develop due to rainwater, which are inaccessible to our staff. In such situations, using high-tech drones to spray larva-killing chemicals will help eliminate the larvae,’ Dr Saitya said.
The rainy season has exacerbated mosquito infestation in the city, leading to a surge in patients suffering from diseases like malaria and dengue. Dr Saitya mentioned that currently, drones are deployed only in Indore, but if a reduction in dengue cases is observed, the number of drones may be increased. The arrival of these high-tech drones has been met with enthusiasm by district health department employees and officers, as it significantly reduces manual effort required to destroy dengue larvae.
