AGARTALA, August 12 (TIWN): As per Govt claim, Malaria situation remained under control on Tuesday as no fresh report of malaria, dengue or Japanese Encephalitis outbreak came from anywhere in the state, Minister for Health and Family Welfare Badal Choudhury said.Interacting with the media at civil secretariat here this evening, Choudhury said that 2,990 patients called in sick at different hospitals and healthcare institutions across the state today; 439 among them were diagnosed to have been freshly infected with malaria parasite. However from sources around districts reporting situation highly alarming as many children are dying, many freshly infected.

The minister further stated that Health Department records said 419 fever patients were admitted as ward patients in different hospitals and healthcare institutions including Primary Health Centers (PHC), Community Health Centers (CHC) and health sub-centers today. 214 among them were found to have been infected with malaria.

An official communiqué said later tonight that the total figures of malaria infected people today crossed 47 thousand 424 since the initial outbreak of malaria in May earlier this year.

The source said that the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) didn’t approve any dengue testing kits or Rapid Diagnosis Test (RDT) kits for Japanese Encephalitis to the state government yet.

“We are having two reusable kits for diagnosis of Japanese Encephalitis. We requested the National Vector Borne Disease Control Program authorities for at least three rapid diagnosis test kits to test dengue”, the source said. “There is no response from the centre yet”, he added.

Malaria infected young boy died at Gandacherra Hospital on Monday, August 11. TIWN Pic