With a rise in the number of dengue cases, health minister Suresh Shetty directedBrihamumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials on Tuesday to take up a cleanliness drive against the disease.

He also wants it to ensure that dengue-causing mosquitoes are eradicated from places with water logging by identifying such areas.

BMC officials were asked to carry out an awareness drive among citizens to educate them about the importance of cleanliness. Health department officials were instructed to make sure that drugs were properly stocked.

As the state and BMC are gearing up to combat dengue, doctors feel that the number of cases will soon drop, but are instead seeing a rise in malaria cases. Dr Pratit Samdhani, consultant physician, Jaslok Hospital, said, "Malaria cases are slightly on a rise."

Moreover, in a education committee meeting on Tuesday, the BMC decided to fumigate all schools in the city, including private ones, to deal with dengue.

Congress corporator Ajanta Yadav raised a point of order and said, "There is a possibility that school premises have breeding spots. So, an anti-mosquito drive is needed."

Committee chairman Vitthal Khartmol said that all municipal schools should be surveyed to verify this possibility.

"The BMC should take immediate preventive measures and submit a report to the committee next month," he said.