Nagaland hit by worst dengue outbreak; 2899 case, one death reported in five months

KOHIMA — Mosquito-borne dengue fever is taking a heavy toll on Nagaland this year, as positive cases have hit an all-time high at 2899, besides one fatality in five months.

A major chunk of positive cases being reported is from Dimapur with 1398 infections, followed by Mon with 933 cases, as per the data provided by the Health department on Friday.

The only death case from dengue was reported from District Hospital Mon on September 23 and the patient had other comorbidities, informed the health officials during a press conference held in Kohima to provide the "real picture" of dengue cases in Nagaland.

As per the Health department’s yearly dengue report from 2005 to 2023 (till Oct. 26), the state reported first dengue infection in 2009 after 25 positive cases were reported. The state, then, recorded three cases in 2011 and 21 cases in 2015 with one fatality.

[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]

The surge in the mosquito-borne infection started in 2016 with 139 case, followed by 357 in 2017, 374 in 2018, six in 2019, one in 2020, 24 in 2021 and 154 in 2022. The report, however, said that cases rose to all-time high of 2899 in 2023.

This year, the first laboratory confirmed test was reported from Dimapur on June 15.

Nagaland is experiencing very high cases of dengue like the rest of the states in the country. It has a cyclical pattern, said Dr. Nyanthung Kikon, Deputy Director and Nodal Officer of Integrated Diseases Surveillance Programme.

Among many other factors for the increase in dengue case rise in the state, conducive environment and the recent climate change, especially in the low-lying areas like Dimapur facilitates the growth of vectors, he said.

‘Initially, the main focus was in Dimapur, but now, it has spread to almost all the other districts except for Noklak. Till last week, no case has been reported in Tuensang, but now it has been detected,’ Kikon informed.

Owing to the possibility of re-infection and the absence of specific medicine for dengue patients, the focus is given on source reduction and prevention, he added.

Healthcare workers are on the job

Deputy Director of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), Dr. Tinurenla, clarified that a confirmative test of samples have to go through elisa test, citing lot of false test being reported through RDT test.

She added that dengue is a viral disease though it is infected through mosquito.

Dr. Vezokholu Theyo, Joint Director of Health and Family Welfare department, informed that the first case was detected in Mon on July 4, following which a control room was set up to monitor the trend.

The district task force is also in place to tackle the issue, she said, adding that implementation plan for the disease control programme is ongoing and the community is actively participating in tackling the issue.

SPO, National Health Mission (NHM), Dr. Mereninla said that the surge in dengue cases started in Mon in the month of August.

Following the increase in number of patients at the District Hospital Mon, which is the only hospital in Mon district, bed capacity was increased at the health facility and more manpower deployed to tackle the issue, she said, adding that medicine supplies was also increased.

Reported as on 26th October 2023
Dengue
SL.No.	District		Total Positive		Death
1	Dimapur		1398
2	Kiphire		59
3	Kohima		141
4	Longleng		17
5	Mokokchung		46
6	Mon		933		1
7	Peren		47
8	Phek		23
9	Tuensang(Includes Noklak)		1
10	Wokha		197
11	Zunheboto		6
12	others (Assam,)		31
Total			2899

Also read: NPCC deplores health department in tackling dengue outbreak