A surge in dengue cases has forced the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council in Assam to shut down all educational institutions at the hill town of Diphu till November 12.
According to officials of the National Health Mission (NHM), the State has reported 551 dengue positive cases since November 1. Of these, 478 cases were detected in the Karbi Anglong district with most cases logged in the district headquarters of Diphu.
Three people have died of the disease – two in October and one in November – in the State so far.
A statement issued by the principal secretary of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council said all educational institutions, including non-formal pre-schools (Anganwadi) within the Diphu Municipal Board will remain closed till November 12 “as a preventive measure against the epidemic”.
M.S. Lakshmi Priya, Mission Director, NHM, Assam and officials of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme and National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme have visited Diphu to take stock of the situation and provide all necessary support to the district team to control the outbreak.
“The government has developed a two-pronged strategy targeted at the community and clinical management. Medical teams have fanned out across the town for surveillance,” Ms. Priya said.
Manipur and Mizoram have also been battling dengue with the disease killing at least five people in these two States since October. The two States have logged more than 400 cases so far.
