Panvel: In light of the ongoing rainy season and the heightened risk of vector-borne and infectious diseases, Commissioner Mangesh Chitale has appealed to the residents of Panvel Municipal Corporation to observe 'Wednesday' as a dry day. This initiative aims to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes responsible for spreading dengue and malaria.

Rainwater accumulation across various areas creates an ideal breeding ground for vector-borne diseases. To counter this, the Medical Health Department is raising public awareness about precautions against vector-borne diseases. Following the instructions provided by the Municipal Corporation can help citizens prevent these diseases effectively. 

After the monsoon, there is a spike in vector-borne diseases. To safeguard against these, Commissioner Chitale advises citizens to boil drinking water, thoroughly wash vegetables and fruits before consumption, and dispose of all garbage properly. Maintaining cleanliness in homes and surroundings, disinfecting water tanks, and ensuring stagnant water is drained are crucial steps to prevent mosquito breeding. He also advises against consuming stale or open food and emphasizes the importance of using purified well water for drinking.

Dr. Anand Gosavi, Chief Medical Officer of the Medical Health Department, recommends that every Wednesday be observed as a 'Dry Day.' This involves completely removing and drying water from vases, money plants, water coolers, fridge back trays, water storage drums, and other potential mosquito breeding sites inside the house.

Other health tips include washing hands with soap before eating and after using the bathroom, eating fully cooked and fresh food, and avoiding open street food. Citizens experiencing symptoms like fever, cold, or cough should immediately contact the nearest civil primary health centre.

In case of detecting epidemic diseases such as dengue, encephalitis, chikungunya, or malaria, residents should report to the nearest civil primary health centre or hospital. Hospitals and laboratories are also requested to report cases of malaria, dengue cases to the corporation via the email id idsppanvelcorporation@gmail.com, as per the Medical Health Department's directives.