Chennai, Aug 18 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu Health Department has taken up fever screening and vector control measures as monsoon is expected in the state by September last week, officials said.

The state health department has drawn up a plan wherein 4,000 government hospitals and 2,000 private hospitals across the state will screen cases of fever, identify clusters and then notify and update the state public health department.

Identifying the clusters will help the state health department to chalk out immediate measures to provide early treatment to patients and prevent the further spread of the diseases.

Water-borne diseases like cholera and vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue are being monitored during the monsoon period.

The health department has already issued guidelines and instructions to health workers including doctors and nurses on the protocols for diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as typhoid, diarrhea, and cholera that are water-borne. A separate protocol is given for vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue.

The Tamil Nadu Health Department will also employ the services of several contract workers to conduct field study and awareness before the outset of monsoon and the preliminary works for the selection of such contract workers have commenced in association with local bodies across the state, an official said.