Muzaffarpur: As monsoon rains continue in Muzaffarpur, the health department has begun strict measures to stop the spread of dengue. Dengue testing facilities will now be available in every primary health centre (PHC) across the district. If a person tests positive in the antigen kit test, their sample will be sent to Sadar Hospital for further confirmation through an ELISA test, and treatment will start immediately.
District Vector Borne Disease Officer Dr Sudhir Kumar said that this year private hospitals and pathology labs must also give full reports of dengue patients to the health department. Special training will be given to their staff so that there are no mistakes in testing or treatment. He added that regular fogging will be done to control mosquitoes in the city.
Hospitals are preparing more beds for dengue patients. SKMCH will have 30 beds ready, Sadar Hospital will have 10 beds, and each PHC will have a separate two-bed ward. All these wards will have mosquito nets. Nagar Nigam will also identify waterlogged areas and conduct fogging there with the help of 16 fogging machines. Areas like Ahiyapur and those around SKMCH, where dengue cases were found last year, will be specially monitored.
The health department will carry out door-to-door search campaigns to identify people with fever or dengue symptoms. ASHA workers will check people in each area and send suspected patients to PHCs or Sadar Hospital for testing. Doctors have asked people to watch for symptoms like high fever, headache, body pain, pain behind the eyes, skin rashes, bleeding from nose or gums, vomiting, or black stools. Dr Kumar advised everyone to use mosquito nets while sleeping during the day, apply mosquito repellent creams, wear full-sleeve clothes, and not let water collect in coolers, tanks, or unused utensils to keep dengue away.
