Tripura battles surge in dengue cases; 182 positive cases reported

Tripura is grappling with a concerning rise in dengue virus cases, with the state recording 182 positive cases as of August 3. Dhanpur village, situated in Tripura's Sepahijala district, has been the hardest hit, reporting most of the cases.

During a press conference, an Associate Professor from Agartala Government Medical College, accompanied by a medical team, conducted an inspection in Dhanpur and made a concerning discovery. The Aedes mosquito, responsible for carrying the virus, is breeding naturally in almost every household in the village.

"In Dhanpur, I personally visited and inspected the village, and found that the Aedes mosquito is breeding naturally in each and every house. The breeding of Aedes mosquitoes is increasing due to water storage in open places. Many houses have a significant number of Aedes mosquitoes and their larvae in stored water. We need to stop this breeding to reduce the number of dengue cases. Additionally, we have also found Aedes mosquito breeding in rubber plantations," stated the professor.

Tapan Majumder, the head of the Microbiology department at Agartala Government Medical College, mentioned that they have been closely monitoring the type of dengue fever. He revealed that dengue, first reported in the state in 2015, had mainly affected travelers from Delhi, Kolkata, and Chennai. However, the situation has changed, and dengue mosquitoes are now prevalent within the state due to changes in vectors and rapid urbanization.

Regarding the recent cases, the Medical Superintendent of GB Pant Hospital, Sankar Chakraborty, informed that 17 patients from Dhanpur were admitted last Saturday. On the 30th, an additional 10 patients were admitted, and on Monday, a decision was made to accommodate them in a dedicated Covid hospital building with 30 beds. So far, over 50 patients have received treatment, and 32 of them have been admitted to GB Pant Hospital in Agartala. All admitted patients are reported to be in stable condition.

Dr. Supriyo Mallik, the Director of Family Welfare and Preventive Medicine of Tripura, provided an update on dengue cases in the region. He revealed that there were 158 positive cases of dengue in Dhanpur, while around 24 cases were detected in Kanchanmala, Mohanpur, and Bamutia under the West District.

To address the situation, the health department has intensified door-to-door testing and medical camps in the Dhanpur area to curb the spread of the dengue outbreak.