Issued by: Dr. P. Jagadeeswara Rao, District Medical and Health Officer, Visakhapatnam | Date: 14.05.2026

Visakhapatnam : Indian News Times: On May 14, 2026, Mr. P. Jagadeeswara Rao, the District Medical and Health Officer, unveiled the "National Dengue Day" banner at the District Medical and Health Office.

Every year on May 16th, we observe National Dengue Day in accordance with the directives issued by the Central and State governments. Similarly, for this year—May 16, 2026—the government has issued orders to celebrate National Dengue Day under the key slogan: "Dengue Control through Community Participation" (Check – Clean – Cover: Inspect, Clean, and Cover). The primary objectives of this initiative are to curb the spread of Dengue, eradicate the disease, and create public awareness regarding the illness. It also aims to control the *Aedes* mosquito population and strive towards a Dengue-free world. On this day, governments and health organizations educate the public on the preventive measures required to combat Dengue.

On May 16th—National Dengue Day—rallies, group meetings, and awareness sessions will be organized with the cooperation of various departments, including Panchayat, Municipal, Education, Anganwadi, and others.

On this occasion, the District Medical and Health Officer, Mr. P.  Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Jagadeeswara Rao explained that Dengue fever is transmitted from an infected person to a healthy individual through the bite of the *Aedes* mosquito. When symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, vomiting, or red spots on the skin appear, one should not ignore them. Instead, individuals should undergo preliminary screening tests at rural or urban Primary Health Centers (PHCs) or any government hospital; if the result is positive, they should undergo an ELISA test at KGH to confirm the diagnosis and ensure they receive complete medical treatment. Since Dengue is spread by mosquitoes, it is essential to keep one's surroundings clean to prevent mosquito breeding. Everyone should use mosquito nets. Care must be taken to ensure there is no stagnant water either inside or outside the home. Any existing water containers should be emptied and dried out once every Friday. Mosquito larvae are prone to breeding in discarded coconut shells, tea cups, used tires, grinding stones, and plastic containers. Furthermore, since refrigerators, air coolers, and flower vases can serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes, the public is advised to empty the water from these items every three days. We hope that all citizens will actively participate in mosquito control measures, thereby contributing to the collective effort to eradicate Dengue.
District Malaria Officer Mr. Varaprasada Reddy, along with Assistant Malaria Officers and malaria control staff, participated in this program.

      District Medical and Health Officer,
                  Visakhapatnam.

                K.V.SHARMA EDITOR