Hospitals across Tamil Nadu are expanding fever treatment facilities as dengue and other viral infections strain outpatient departments ahead of the Northeast Monsoon.

The Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children in Chennai’s Egmore is set to open a 60-bed ward for children with fever. Private hospitals have reported a rise in dengue, respiratory infections and influenza, with some patients waiting up to 12 hours for a bed.

Tamil Nadu has recorded about 19,000 dengue cases and nine deaths this year, according to IANS. The state has conducted about 2.24 lakh dengue tests and deployed more than 26,300 health workers for field surveillance.

In Chennai, 1,775 dengue cases were reported in September alone. Adyar, Anna Nagar and Valasaravakkam have reported relatively higher numbers, prompting closer monitoring.

The Greater Chennai Corporation has stepped up mosquito control across its 15 zones, visiting homes, removing stagnant water, applying larvicide and carrying out fogging. Drones were deployed to spray larvicide over the Cooum and Buckingham canals.

Doctors said most infections are mild, but the monsoon season typically brings a spike in vector-borne diseases.