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What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
GUWAHATI: Manipur is facing another health crisis as the dengue outbreak worsened, with 1,338 officially reported cases as of Friday. This marks the highest number of infections the state has seen in recent memory. In 2021, there were just 203 reported cases of dengue, which increased to 503 cases in 2022.
The State Health Directorate released a status report on confirmed dengue cases and deaths from January 1 to October 13. The report indicates a zero-mortality rate at this time, but it does record five suspected dengue-related deaths. State Malaria Officer of the National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme, S. Priyokumar, confirmed these official figures. These numbers have been compiled from across the state since January.
Imphal West is classified as the district most severely affected, with 898 cases, including three suspected deaths. On the other hand, the newly formed districts of Pherzawl and Jiribam, located in Tamenglong, have not reported any cases so far.
As per the status report, the district of Imphal East recorded 241 cases, while Thoubal reported 79. Tengnoupal had 15 cases, Chandel 4, Senapati 28, Kangpokpi 8, Noney 5, Kakching 13, and both Ukhrul and Kamjong reported 1 case each.
This concerning situation arose at a time when the Manipur was striving to return to a state of normalcy after experiencing unprecedented ethnic conflicts that erupted on May 3. These clashes have profoundly affected the lives of numerous people and led to the displacement of over 60,000 people who are currently residing in makeshift relief camps, often taking over schools, colleges, community halls, and government structures.
Dengue is a viral infection spread to humans by mosquitoes affected by the dengue virus (DENV). According to the World Health Organization (WHO) about half of the world’s population is now at risk of dengue with an estimated 100–400 million infections occurring each year.
“Dengue mosquitoes lay eggs in clean water stored in containers inside homes such as bottles, flower vases, tyres etc,” said S Priyokumar who encouraged all to wear long sleeves and pants during the day as these mosquitoes are active in the daytime.
Managing the dengue outbreak appears to be a formidable task, given that over 60,000 people, which includes 22,000 children and 300 elderly citizens, have been residing in 351 relief camps from early May to the present.
The reason for this is that, except for a small number of camps, many of them encounter issues related to sanitation and water provision through reservoirs, thereby elevating the risk of becoming suitable breeding environments for the virus. Additionally, the problem is exacerbated by the fact that people are residing in close quarters, making them susceptible to widespread infections.
Dengue Symptoms:
The majority of dengue cases exhibit no symptoms or cause only mild illnesses, with a very small percentage progressing to severe cases. Healthcare professionals emphasise that early identification and timely access to appropriate medical treatment are crucial factors in reducing the mortality rates associated with severe dengue.
Usually, symptoms show 4–10 days after infection and last for 2–7 days, including high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands, and rash. Individuals infected for the second time are at risk of severe dengue.
The State Malaria Officer informed that the government has taken up several preventive measures like fogging, source reduction drive, and supply of impregnated bed-nets at different locations across the state to kill mosquito eggs and several awareness and media campaigns.
Superintendent of the state-run Jawaharlal Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), Lokeshwar Singh, who confirmed that there has been a surge in dengue cases in Manipur revealed that those who are undergoing treatment for the viral infections have complications and low platelet count. Singh added that 26 people who were admitted to the hospital for dengue fever had platelet transfusion and no viral infection fatality has been reported so far.
Strife-torn Churachandpur district witnessed a surge of cases with its district hospital reporting 26 probable cumulative positive cases on Friday. To contain the outbreak, the district Malaria department has taken preventive measures like fogging activities at various localities where cases of dengue were detected namely Singseng, Tuibong, DM Veng, Rengkai, Zomi Colony, and New Lamka.
