One person has died due to dengue in Manipur’s Imphal West district, prompting.
The state government to take initiatives to control the spread, including fogging, and urging collective efforts to tackle the disease. In a press conference, state Health Minister Sapam Ranjan Singh said officials have been working to curb the spread of dengue. However, he emphasised that controlling the infection will be difficult without community participation.
Till this month, a total of 448 dengue cases have been reported. Imphal West has recorded the highest number of cases at 259, followed by 117 in Imphal East. Last year, a total of 2,548 dengue cases were reported, with Imphal West accounting for 1,639 and 521 in Imphal East. However, no deaths were reported then.
The state Health Minister, during the press conference, said 148 cases were reported in August and the number rose to 230 by September 13. To control the spread of dengue, experts and concerned officials have been taking various precautionary measures to eradicate dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
The minister assured that the health department was ready to combat dengue and would increase manpower if necessary. He said that fogging was being carried out within a 100-metre radius if an individual tests positive for dengue.
However, he said that fogging only kills mosquitoes and does not eliminate the eggs of ‘Culex’ mosquitoes (a species that spreads dengue).
The minister appealed to people to ensure that stagnant water was not present in and around their homes, including in flower pots. He stressed that eliminating mosquito breeding grounds was the key to fighting dengue.