Moreh, November 25: Several measures taken up by the State Government to combat dengue outbreak in Moreh is still not enough to remove people's fear of the disease as it is claiming human lives, although few in number, now and then.

Since the outbreak of an unknown disease, suspected to be dengue, in the border town in the early part of October, the disease has claimed 25 lives till date.

This include two cases with two succumbing to the disease on November 22 and 23.However, according to official records, the human casualty of the disease suspected to be dengue stands only at 4.From October till November 16, the number of people admitted to Moreh Hospital with fever cases was 725, informed its MO in-charge Dr Y Mani.

The State came to know about the outbreak of dengue or a dengue like disease at Moreh only after blood samples of two patients were sent to Mumbai for laboratory test following death of a woman out of two sisters from Moreh.

The two who were admitted to RIMS who showed symptoms similar to those of dengue a few days later.

On November 13, 12 year old Sweeta d/o Khangenbam Shanti of Moreh Ward No 6, Tali Road was admitted to Maroodyan, a private located at Puleiromba Khongnangkhong, Imphal as she suffered from high fever.

Suspicious of the symptoms shown by the girl, her blood sample was sent to Mumbai for laboratory test.

The results of the test received today has confirmed that the girl is suffering from dengue.

The condition of the girl is now out of danger and she is recovering.

As it is the first time that Manipur is facing a dengue outbreak, the medical professionals of the State are facing certain shortcomings in treating the disease starting from blood sample collection, observed many medical experts.

Given the scenario the people of Moreh are still gripped by fear and feel insecure as there is no facility to confirm whether any case of fever is dengue or not, either at Moreh or Imphal.

The denizens of Moreh are caught in such a situation where their conditions cannot be confirmed here.

As the blood platelet of a person infected with dengue disappears very soon, what is most essential in treating the disease is blood transfusion.

Ironically there is no facility for blood transfusion in the border town.

The incubation period of dengue is 7 days.

Considering the difficulties in identifying the disease and medication, the people of Moreh wish effective measures to check further spread of the disease.

In addition to fogging undertaken by the State Government to eliminate carrier/host mosquitoes and larva and the awareness programme on sanitation, the affected people of Moreh want more intense control measures.

Even though the origin of the outbreak is still unclear, it is suspected that the disease might have spread from Namphalong and Tamu across the international border, disclosed Dr Mani.

The suspicion is primarily aroused by deaths due to dengue at Namphalong and Tamu earlier.

To a query on the outbreak of dengue at Moreh only recently even though the disease has been observed across the border since some time back, Dr Mani noted that unhealthy living conditions and bad sanitation system might be responsible for spreading the disease to Moreh.

Before dengue was confirmed from the blood samples collected from the two sisters admitted to RIMS, the family members of a Bihari man staying at Moreh was informed of the possibility of dengue when he was down with high fever, claimed Dr Mani.

Even though there were many casualties following outbreak of dengue in Moreh town, all the victims belong to Moreh town and there is no sign of the disease spreading to surrounding areas.

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