Agartala, July 31, 2023: In response to the sudden outbreak of dengue in bordering villages of Sonamura in Sepahijala district for over a week, the Tripura government has intensified surveillance at land customs stations in Akhaura (Agartala), Srimantapur (Sonamura), and Belonia to monitor the movement of Bangladeshi nationals on Monday.

According to a senior official from the Family Welfare and Preventive Medicine department on the condition of anonymity, they have instructed health extension workers to conduct extensive door-to-door inspections to check on the status of people suffering from fever. An advisory has been issued state-wide, urging individuals to seek medical attention at hospitals if they experience fever or related symptoms. Consequently, a significant number of people have crowded hospitals, particularly in the Sepahijala, West Tripura, and Dhalai districts.

To combat the spread of dengue, the health department has distributed a large number of mosquito nets in the affected villages of Sonamura and advised residents to use mosquito nets even during the day while sleeping. The civil administration and civil society organizations have also been urged to provide mosquito nets and repellents to the poor and marginalized communities to protect them from mosquito bites.

Reports indicate that villages in Bangladesh, on the other side of Sonamura, have also experienced a surge in dengue cases recently, raising concerns about possible cross-border mosquito movement contributing to the spread on the Indian side.