National Health Mission (NHM), Assam team rushes to Diphu over dengue spurt

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: An outbreak of dengue fever has taken a serious turn in the Karbi Anglong district in general and Diphu in particular. A team of the National Health Mission (NHM), Assam is already camping in the district, but in view of the gravity of the situation, the NHM Mission Director, Dr MS Lakshmipriya will personally visit the area on Saturday along with a team of doctors from the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

Diphu has around 200 cases of dengue fever as of now, out of whom 12 patients – including two infants – are undergoing treatment at the Diphu Medical College and Hospital.

NHM officials said here that over 300 cumulative samples have been collected from Diphu so far. Out of these, 60 samples were tested on Thursday and as many as 33 samples tested positive for dengue. Only 87 dengue cases were recorded in Assam between January 1 and October 6 this year, out of which 27 were in Kamrup (M).

The state Health & Family Welfare Department, the district health authorities, ASHA and Anganwadi workers, and Arogya Mahila Samity members are working in various camps in the Karbi Anglong district and monitoring the situation.

Local organizations have also constituted teams which are visiting villages in the vulnerable areas and motivating the local people to get their blood checked at the Diphu Medical College and Hospital if they find any symptoms of dengue.

The Diphu Municipal Corporation has also initiated preventive measures such as fogging operations to curb the dengue menace.

It may be mentioned in this context that 5,024 dengue cases (with one fatality) were reported in Assam in 2017. In 2018, the number plummeted to 166 cases (no fatality); in 2019, 196 cases were reported (no fatality); in 2020, only 33 cases were recorded (no fatality); in 2021, 103 cases were recorded (no fatality); till September this year, 74 dengue cases had been recorded across the state.

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