The Health Department has ruled out the prevalence of Dengue in the areas coming under the Balugoodu and Doddatoota Primary Health Centres in Sullia taluk. There were a few cases of labourers working in agricultural fields in the hilly terrain complaining of fever and body ache last week. Of these, two persons — a five-year-old child and a 50-year-old man — were tested positive t dengue during the preliminary NS1 antigen test carried out at a private hospital.
District Disease Surveillance Officer B.V. Rajesh said that they sent blood samples of the two persons and two others for tests at the facility available in Manipal. “The results have shown negative for dengue. There are also no signs of Chikungunya either,” Dr. Rajesh said. They have also tested as many as 48 persons in the area.
Sullia Taluk Health Officer Subramanya said viral infection was seen in labourers working in the agricultural fields. Anganwadi workers in the area have been told to bring infected persons to the Primary Health Centres for treatment. Fogging and other anti-larval measures were being taken to prevent breeding of mosquitoes that carry the dengue virus and malaria parasite, Dr. Subramanya said.
