Health officials told to prevent outbreak of diseases

CHENNAI: The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine has reissued instructions to all district health officers to ensure public health safeguards to prevent disease outbreaks, ensure sanitation and protect public safety.

Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Dr TS Selvavinayagam, said the instructions were issued under Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939, to enforce public health measures during social, recreational, religious and other mass gatherings in the light of increasing frequency and magnitude of public gatherings, including religious congregations, social and cultural events, recreational programmes and political meetings, across TN.

The officers have been instructed to supervise, inspect and enforce essential services such as water supply, waste disposal and sanitation during the events and to establish surveillance mechanisms to detect clustering of cases or outbreaks.

In the event of a public health emergency, district magistrate and health officers are authorised to issue orders prohibiting assemblies or restricting movement.