Chennai Dengue Cases Rise: GCC Intensifies Mosquito Control in Colleges and Hostels

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has stepped up dengue prevention and mosquito control measures across 16 educational institutions and hostels in Chennai following a rise in fever cases during the pre-monsoon season.

The GCC deployed 289 workers and 53 fogging machines and removed 581 kg of unwanted materials that could support mosquito breeding. Officials inspected campuses including Anna University, IIT Madras, Presidency College, Madras University and Victoria Hostel.

Chennai recorded around 4,400 fever cases in August and 4,600 cases in September, with approximately 654 dengue-positive cases, according to GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran.

The corporation has also increased the number of Domestic Breeding Checkers from 2,500 to 3,290. Workers are inspecting homes and other locations to identify stagnant water and mosquito-larvae breeding sites.

As part of its Chennai dengue prevention drive, the GCC is conducting around 100 health camps daily and distributing awareness materials to students, households, hospitals and construction sites. The corporation has also imposed fines on establishments and residences where mosquito breeding hotspots are identified.

Following a reported scrub typhus-related student death at Anna University, officials have additionally ordered the removal and sanitisation of overgrown vegetation across educational campuses.

The GCC has urged the public and educational institutions to maintain cleanliness, remove stagnant water and cooperate with mosquito-control teams to reduce the spread of dengue and other vector-borne diseases in Chennai.