Newmai News Network
Imphal | August 29
The Manipur Health department has sounded a dengue alert in the state while informing that many people suspected to be suffering from the mosquito-borne disease are currently treating in different hospitals.
Addressing media at his office chamber on August 29, Director of Health and Family Welfare department, Dr K Rajo said that the disease is spreading in the valley areas.
In Manipur hills, too, there are cases of people suffering from the disease, particularly in Moreh and Churachandpur district.
The Director of the Health department said that there are reports of the disease spreading in the valley districts while citing reports about six students of Sainik School Imphal, staying in the boarding, are tested positive.
The officer said that a medical team of the state Health department visited the school located at Pangei in Imphal East district after there were reports of many students staying the boarding of the school suffering from fever. Among the students, six are tested positive for dengue, he said, stressing the important of taking self-care.
The officer then said that no specific antiviral medication is currently available to treat dengue. The treatment of dengue fever is symptomatic and supportive in nature, he added.
Dr Rajo said that if one suffers from fever, complaint of pain in the bone and lack of appetite, he or she should be immediately admitted to any nearby hospital so that necessary treatments can be taken up after tested for the disease.
"The best way is taking up preventive measures, which include among others, avoiding mosquito bite as far as possible, sleeping under mosquito net, etc.
Sanitation and hygiene in residential areas, avoiding areas with stagnant water are other preventive measures, he said, informing that the dengue virus spreads through mosquito bites. He said, “Dengue often spread when a mosquito bites an infected human. Mosquitoes are the carriers of the disease.”
The dengue alert sounded by the Health department was at a time the department is combating the spread of Japanese Encephalitis (JE), which is also generally spread by mosquitoes.
A total of 232 cases of JE were reported in the state so far this year, where five lives have been claimed as informed by the state Health and Family Welfare minister, L Jayentakumar in the recently concluded Manipur Legislative Assembly session.
