Summer brings another bad news: 37 dengue cases confirmed in Dimapur

Dimapur, Aug. 1 (EMN): The Dimapur District Hospital has confirmed 37 cases of dengue in the month of July this year. Contrary to the 2017 National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) report, which was zero in the month of July this year, it happened early.

According to Dimapur’s NVBDCP, out of 158 screenings, 37 persons were found to have the dengue virus. It was after ELISA test confirmation at the Sentinel site laboratory in the district hospital that the cases were confirmed. Out of 37 cases, one person was said to have been from Assam, while the rest were from Chumukedima in Dimapur.

In the month of July, the Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) directed households in the jurisdiction of the Dimapur municipality to conduct mass cleanliness from their homes starting from August and till November. This was to prevent mosquitos from breeding in and around compounds and in the locality.

With the beginning of monsoon season in the state, such cases are expected to rise in the next few months. During a programme on July 27, the administrator of the DMC, Moa Sangtam, had advised citizens to keep their surroundings free from stagnant water.

ELISA tests are free and available at the district hospital of Dimapur, which is said to be the only hospital in the state that offers treatment for dengue. However, suspected cases that require screening by card tests may carry a fee, the NVBDCP added.