IMPHAL, Oct 26 (Newmai News Network): A case of dengue in Churachandpur district of Manipur (southern Manipur) has been officially confirmed with a 17-year-old girl tested positive.
“One out of two blood samples has been confirmed positive this afternoon,” Epidemiologist Dr Achom Ritindra told Newmai News Network.
He had heard that a dengue type disease was spread in the hamlet of Chengkonpa in the vicinity of Don Bosco School, Churachandpur a few days ago. Some officials of the district Malaria Department went to the area on October 18 and took blood samples of a 17-year-old girl and another 34-year-old woman, Dr Ritindra said.
Both the blood samples were first tested positive at Rapid Diagnostic Test Centre of Churachandpur district. However, the samples were again sent to the state Malaria Department for further test. The Malaria Department then sent it back to RIMS after consulting him.
One out of the two samples was tested dengue positive when the test was conducted at the Microbiology Department of RIMS, Dr Ritindra said.
However, both of them are now out of danger as the disease has been controlled by proper treatment, he said. The doctor also said it is not necessary to panic about dengue disease as it is easily controllable by treating but the most hardest task is to control the presence of mosquitoes carrying the virus.
Dengue is caused by a virus spread by Aedes (Stegomyia) musquitoes. Since there are no vaccines to prevent infection with dengue virus (DENV) the most effective protective measure is to avoid mosquito bites. When infected with the virus, early recognition and prompt supportive treatment can substantially lower the risk of developing severe disease.
In Manipur, the outbreak of dengue disease was first reported from Moreh town of Chandel district, bordering Myanmar in 2007.