81 Dengue cases detected

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jul 23: After a very high number of Dengue cases were detected last year, 81 Dengue cases have been detected in the State during the current year.
Speaking to media persons at the conference hall of National Health Mission (NHM), Lamphelpat this afternoon, Health Minister Dr Sapam Ranjan said that the Health Directorate, the State Malaria Officer and other authorities are fully prepared to tackle Dengue.
During the current year, 81 Dengue cases including 29 in Imphal West, 20 in Imphal East, 13 in Thoubal, five in Kakching, one in Ukhrul, nine in Bishnupur, three in Chandel and one in Kangpokpi have been detected, Dr Ranjan said.
Maintaining that dengue can be prevented if adequate preventive measures are taken up, the Health Minister informed that stagnant water collected in flower-pots, water storage tanks, used tyres etc can serve as fertile breeding ground for the type of mosquito which transmits Dengue.
He then appealed to all the people to get rid of stagnant water.
To check further transmission of the disease, the departments concerned have been coordinating with each other, the Health Minister said.
He said that community participation is also equally important to tackle Dengue effectively.
With the help of ASHAs, the authorities have been working on source reduction apart from carrying out awareness campaigns through radio and other media, he said. Other preventive measures like fogging, release of  mosquito fish etc are being carried out at different places, he continued. Dengue cases have been rising not only in urban areas but also in rural areas during the last five to 10 years, he added.