With vacation time in the UAE round the corner, most Indian expatriates are readying for their holidays. And Kerala would be on top of their list. But here is a word of caution: Get vaccinated at least 10 days before departure as the state is reeling under a sudden surge of fever cases.
It is quite an alarming situation out there even as the state's Public Health Department struggles to cope with it.
On Saturday, of the 19,000 patients who reported at hospitals with fever, there were 680 suspected dengue cases - 138 were tested positive. Also, 11 people died on Saturday, taking the dengue toll in the state to 115 this year.
According to reports, the worst affected districts are Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Palakkad. Five persons died of suspected dengue, fever and leptospirosis in various parts of these districts on Thursday.
The health department indicates that on an average, in June, daily over 10,000 people came to hospitals with fever.
'Declare health emergency'
Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has urged the government to declare a health emergency in the state.
Chennithala, who is also Leader of Opposition in the Kerala assembly, called on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to brief him about the "health department's failure" to contain the dengue outbreak in the state.
After meeting Vijayan at his official residence, Chennithala said, "The situation is very grave."

"The health department, including the Health Minister, has been a total failure and I have asked Vijayan to see that he immediately takes corrective steps. He has promised to intervene by calling a meeting of top health officials," added Chennithala.
Though Kerala has a well accounted state-run health department, a large number of people visit the private healthcare centres. Hence, private hospitals in the affected districts are also overflowing with patients.
"Patients are lying in the corridor and availing treatment. The situation looks really bad," said a health professional of a leading private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram district.
Plan vaccines ahead of travel
Travellers should get vaccinated at least 10 days before departure, according to health experts, who add that adult vaccinations are as important as childhood vaccines.
Most vaccines take time to become effective in your body and some vaccines must be given in a series over a period of days or sometimes weeks.
Unless the vaccines given are booster doses of those typically given during childhood, vaccines may require a month or more to induce a sufficient immune response, depending on the vaccine and the number of doses in the series
 
source: Khaleejtimes