AIZAWL: The Mizoram health department is concerned over the rapid increase in dengue cases in the state, a health official said on Sunday.
He said that 84 dengue cases were detected in August this year, which is higher than the total 83 cases detected last year.
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According to the record of Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme (SVBDCP) under the state health department, out of the 420 samples tested last year, 19.76 per cent (83) of them were diagnosed with dengue.
During January to August this year, at least 135 people were found infected with the viral disease from 1,330 samples tested, the data said.
Aizawl district reported the highest dengue cases at 106, followed by Lunglei district (12) and east Mizoram’s Champhai district (7).
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Assam border Kolasib district reported 4 cases, Serchhip district (3), Tripura border Mamit district and Myanmar border Lawngtlai district reported one case each so far, the data said.
Besides, a visitor from another state has also been diagnosed with dengue, it said.
Meanwhile, the health department has issued advisories to the public to regularly use mosquito net, insecticide like Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and anti-mosquito creams.
It also advised people to clean their surroundings and water logging regularly to avoid mosquito breeding.
The department also urged the public not to panic as the government is making massive efforts to control dengue cases.
Dengue is detected through enzyme-linked immunoassay(ELISA) tests.
At present, ELISA tests can be done in only two government hospitals Sentinel Surveillance Hospital (SSH)- Aizawl Civil Hospital and Lunglei Civil Hospital in the southern part of the state.
Besides, ELISA test can also be done in two or three private laboratories in Aizawl.
The health department said that samples could be collected in all the district hospitals, primary health centres, community health centres and other government run health facilities to be sent to SSH.
Dengue is a viral disease transmitted by female mosquitoes mainly of the species Aedes aegypti and, to a lesser extent, Ae. albopictu.
According to WHO, there is no specific treatment for dengue or severe dengue.
Early detection of disease progression associated with severe dengue, and access to proper medical care lowers fatality rates of severe dengue to below 1%.