One dengue case has been confirmed while as many as seven suspected dengue cases have been detected so far at District Hospital Duigailong in Tamenglong with the first suspected case being reported on September 5, raising health concerns among the general public.
When the blood samples of eight were sent to RIMS, Imphal for official confirmation, only one result of the eight cases was reportedly confirmed positive, while the result of one suspected case is awaited. Samples of detected dengue cases are sent to RIMS Imphal for confirmation and official declaration.
Speaking to the Imphal Free Press, chief medical officer Tamenglong, Dr G Majachunglu said that eight patients coming for health checkups at district Hospital were found to be symptomatic of dengue infection.
The eight persons were initially tested positive for dengue when tested with Rapid Diagnosis Testing (RDT) kit at the district hospital. However, the samples were sent to RIMS Imphal for confirmation, she said.
As a part of precautionary measures, fogging was also conducted at the houses where dengue cases were detected, she added.
Dengue is caused and spread through mosquitoes. Breeding of mosquitoes takes place in wet, dirty places and waterlogged areas, she mentioned. She further urged the citizens of Tamenglong to keep the surrounding areas clean and prevent water-logging.
It may be mentioned that Tamenglong district reportedly has no district malaria officer.
Due to the shortage of a district malaria officer in the district, it has become prone to malaria and dengue diseases as necessary awareness programmes and other precautionary measures are reportedly not being taken up.
Earlier on September 6, ACODOM president Th Buddha Meitei had raised serious concerns on the rising cases of dengue infection in the border town of Moreh, despite the measures being undertaken by the authorities.
He had mentioned that the cases were increasing rapidly though the doctors and staff of Moreh Hospital and District Malaria department were working 24/7 to curb the spread of dengue. He had appealed to the authorities concerned and the state government to look into the matter to control the spread of the disease.
He had also suggested the spraying of ‘Malathion’ insecticide to kill eggs and the larvae of mosquitoes. He mentioned the Malaria department doing its best to control the disease by carrying out fogging by using ‘King fox’ medicine but only at particular infected areas.
He also raised concern that these measures will not control the spreading of the disease and appealed to the state Health department for a mass fogging programme in and around the border town Moreh as well as spraying of ‘Malathion’ insecticide on stagnant waters.
On September 6, the total number of dengue cases in the town had reached 151 and the number of active cases stood at seven.
