In view of the impending monsoon season, the Kerala Health Department has issued a general alert against various types of infectious diseases and asked the officials to take precautionary measures.

Besides the monsoon-related diseases, reports of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in Saudi Arabia also caused concern in the state, which has a large number of expatriate workers in the Gulf country.

Department sources said there was no cause for panic as no such case had been reported in the state so far.

“MERS is a viral respiratory fever. No case of MERS is reported in the state so far. According to my knowledge, no such case was reported in the country,” K Ellangovan, Health and Family Welfare Department Secretary, told PTI.

However, directions had been given to the health staff to monitor the situation. Ahead of monsoon, a general epidemic preparedness has been launched throughout the state, he said.

As part of the programme, a district-level committee, comprising district collector, district medical officer and health experts, has been formed to monitor the situation.

“To check the spread of waterborne diseases, the Water Authority has been asked to test water samples free of cost for three months since May,” he said.

To ensure hygiene and sanitation at the grass-root level, ward-level sanitation committees had also been formed, the official added.

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