Department hopes cold season curbs dengue
Source: Chronicle News Service
Senapati, October 18 2023:
The district Malaria department is confident that the coming of the cold season will limit the increase in dengue cases in the district.
According to a report from the district malaria department, the cumulative dengue casts in Senapati district up to October 17, 2023 is 553 .
The first five cases, all reported from Delhi and Dimapur, were recorded between July 28 and July 22, 2023 .
Later, dengue cases were reported to the department, and an investigation revealed that there had been no repent travel to the endemic area.
Since then, the number of new cases has grown and spread locally.
Despite regular case investigations by the department concerned, source reduction, fogging, miking, and community awareness programme, the disease could not be effectively contained due to lack of manpower and funding.
Dengue fever cases have increased in the district, with at least 15 reported every day in the last week.
On September 29, the highest number reached 31 .
Earlier, the department approached the deputy commissioner of Senapati on September 19, 2023 and briefed him on the difficulties faced by the department with a rising number of new positive cases every day.
The deputy commissioner readily agreed to assist the department financially as well as to undertake public health initiatives, particularly vector management, through community involvement.
On October 3, 2023, the deputy commissioner organised a sensitization workshop for village chairmen, secretaries, youths, and women delegates from 17 different villages under district headquarters.
The representatives were taught on the significance of organising mass cleaning drives involving the general population in their local villages.
So far, the department has conducted various activities to control the spread of the disease, including community awareness programme at 53 locations, 204 times of source reduction, 108 times of house search, fogging in 60 locations, 3 days of mass awareness through use of loud speakers by the department concerned, and daily miking by the town committee since September 20, 2023 .