Panic among people with dengue scare unabated in Jhapa

Jhapa, October 25

The gradual rise in number of dengue patients in Damak municipality has unleashed terror among Jhapa folks of late.

The municipality has witnessed a sharp fall in people’s movement around evening time. “As the mosquitoes capable of transmitting the disease become active in the evening, lesser number of people come out of their houses after dark these days,” said local journalist Bishnu Pokhrel.

According to District Public Health Office Jhapa, the disease was detected on as many as 67 patients, including three health workers, in the district until Monday. As per the office, Dr Tilak Chandra Sah, of Damak-based Lifeline Hospital, and two health officials at Damak-based Advanced Health Care were infected with dengue.

Sah has been sent to Siliguri, India for treatment.

An international medical team from the Institute of Tropical Medicine Belgium had arrived in Damak to study the disease by interacting with the patients of different health facilities. The team returned on Saturday after completing their study, said Dengue Focal Person at Public Health Office Jeevan Chaulagain.

Eastern Regional Health Directorate Dhankuta Regional Director Dr Mahesh Prasad Khanal visited dengue patients admitted at different hospitals of Damak yesterday. He said the government had failed to do the needful for dengue patients in Jhapa and prevent its outbreak.

“There is a crisis of the government approved dengue test kit in Damak and we have already informed the Department of Epidemiology and Disease Control about the same. We have also urged the locals to remain alert as the number of dengue patients is increasing every day,” said Khanal.

The District Public Health Office has recommended Damak Hospital to provide free dengue tests. Advanced Health Care has recorded the highest number of dengue patients so far.

Of the patients, 30 have been admitted at Advanced Health Care, 22 at Lifeline Hospital and 10 at Damak Hospital while other health facilities in the district are also catering to dengue patients.

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