Dengue cases at peak in Manipur, records 385 Dengue cases this year with 3 deaths

Imphal: Manipur Health department has recorded a total of 385 Dengue positive cases for the current year till Thursday, which have been the highest cases so far recorded in the state.

Tengnoupal district which is the border area recorded the highest number of 199 positive cases; Imphal East district with 42 cases; Churachandpur district with 38 cases; and Imphal West with 36 positive cases.

Till date three Dengue persons have died, one each from the districts of Churachandpur, Tengnoupal and Bishnupur.

‘At present Sanjenbam, Sougaijam Leirak and Kanglatongbi of Imphal West districts are considered as hotspot of Dengue infection’.

Ahead of the current year, the highest number of dengue cases was recorded in 2019 with a total of 359 cases.

The issue was highlighted by state Health minister Dr Sapam Ranjan Singh during a media interaction at his Lamphel Sana Keithel residents, here on Friday.

The press conference was conducted with the objective to create awareness on the status of Dengue cases in the state.

“All possible measures have been taken up by the health department to control Dengue cases in the state. Surveillance teams have been spread to the infected areas and awareness measures have also been taken up. Fogging is going on,” the minister said.

“We should not keep stagnant water at our surroundings. Water container containing water should not be kept exposed and it should be fully covered rather since mosquitoes use such water as breeding homes. The Aedes are day biter starting from the dawn to dusk. We should be using mosquito nets during while sleeping. It will be fruitless if the public is not made aware on the issue,” he added.

In Manipur dengue outbreaks in the month of June and continues till late November or December, the health minister said.

People need not to be panic of Dengue infection as the infection could be prevented with simple preventive measures. The Directorate of Health Services and state Health Society, NVBDCP, Manipur have been distributing pamphlets informing that Dengue and Chikungunya are viral diseases caused by the bite of infected female Aedes mosquito, he added.

According to the pamphlet symptoms are high fever, headache, severe pain behind eyes, muscle pain, joint pain and rash. In severe cases, bleeding in nose and gum may happen.

There is no specific treatment of both the diseases. Paracetamol is preferable for fever management. Avoid aspirin, brufen etc. In case of suspected Dengue and Chkungunya patient must consult doctor.

Facility for confirmatory test is available free of cost at Microbiology departments of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences and Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal, it informs.

For preventive measures one should wear full sleeves and long dresses to cover as much of the body as possible. Use repellents, mosquito coils, electric vapour mats during the daytime to prevent from the diseases as Aedes mosquitoes bite during day time.

Use mosquito nets to protect children, elderly and others who may rest during the day, it added.

Discard or destroy unused tyres, broken bottles and flower vase, plastic bucket, plastic jerican, unused earthen pots, water storage drums and others. Cover water storage containers and change uncovered stored water on weekly basis, it said.

Directorate of health services and state health society, NVBDCP, Manipur provides helpline number 0385-2410009 which will be available from 9.30 am to 5 pm.

State Mission director, NHM, Manipur, Dr Somorjit Ningombam, additional director, deputy directors, state Malaria officer, officials from NHM and Health department and others were also present during the conference.