Agartala, Aug 04: Amid concerns over a suspected dengue death in Tripura, health authorities have sprung into action to contain the outbreak. The state’s health department announced that dengue and vector-borne disease experts have been dispatched to the affected areas, particularly in the Sepahijala district.
The region has reported a significant surge in dengue cases, with 158 confirmed cases in the past week alone. Over 50 seriously affected patients have been rushed to Govind Ballabh Pant (GBP) Hospital and Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) for treatment.
Dr. Supriya Mullick Dutta, Director of Family Welfare and Preventive Medicine, stated that the rise in fever cases was reported on July 13, and the district authorities were alerted on July 20. State and district surveillance teams were immediately deployed, and daily health camps have been organized since then to assess the situation and provide medical assistance.
A vector-borne disease control expert and special doctors from Gomati district hospital have been sent to the Dhanpur area in Sepahijala district, where the outbreak seems to be concentrated. The team will take necessary measures to curb the spread of the disease.
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Dr. Shankar Chakraborty, Superintendent of GBP Hospital, confirmed that some of the seriously affected patients were admitted to AGMC, with one patient being admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to abdominal pain. However, his condition has since stabilized.
Notably, a significant number of the dengue patients identified in Dhanpur are rubber plantation workers. While the state government had previously announced plans to distribute equipment and toolkits to support over a hundred rubber plantation workers, many still work in informal ways, leaving them susceptible to mosquito bites.
Dhanpur’s proximity to the Indo-Bangla international border and Tripura’s position surrounded by Bangladesh on three sides have led to vigilant surveillance measures to prevent further escalation of the disease.
The National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) has stationed medical teams at Akhaura, Srirampur, and other land ports connected with Bangladesh for dengue surveillance. This measure aims to ensure that no person with fever enters Tripura without being tested for the disease.
As per reports, Tripura has conducted 2,038 tests, with 158 confirmed cases in Sepahijala district, primarily in Dhanpur. A few isolated cases have also been reported in the Dhalai district.
Among the confirmed cases, there was one death reported on Wednesday, though doctors are yet to ascertain if it was a dengue-related death. The cause of death is being investigated, and further information is being collected to determine any potential co-morbidities associated with the fatality.
The deceased patient, Ate Subhash Sarkar, initially tested positive for dengue and was treated at a PHC in Dhanpur before being rushed to a private hospital in Agartala, where he passed away.
The health authorities are actively working to contain the outbreak, conduct necessary tests, and provide timely medical assistance to those affected. Their focus remains on preventing further casualties and implementing robust surveillance measures to control the spread of dengue in the state. Residents are urged to take preventive measures and cooperate with health authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of the community.
