In a first this year, dengue patient dies in Siliguri

A record number of single day dengue cases-38-was reported today

Sankha Ghosh, SNS, 13 September 2022, Siliguri : A 48-year-old government employee living in a housing complex in ward 25 in Siliguri, and who had tested positive for the dengue virus, has died. People at the housing complex alleged lack of proper cleanliness initiatives and the presence of mosquito-breeding grounds at a private under construction site near the complex. On the other hand, family members lagged lack of proper medical treatment.

This is the first dengue death case in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) area this year.

On the other hand, a record number of single day dengue cases-38-was reported today, with the total number of cases since January this year going up to 339. The highest number of cases were found today in Ward 9 (7 cases), Ward 5 (6 cases), and Ward 8 with three cases, sources said.

The death certificate issued by a private nursing home mentioned "septicemic shock with multi organ dysfunction, acute hepato-renal failure and dengue" as the cause of death. The antecedent cause of death has been mentioned as dengue.

People living in the government housing complex at Milan Pally said at least six more persons had been tested positive for dengue there. Most of the six persons have been staying in three-storied quarters close to the quarter of Roy and also adjacent to a private construction site, which is filled with water, they pointed out.

The SMC has, meanwhile, intensified its anti-vector drive, including spraying and cleanliness, engaging earth movers inside the complex The people there, however lamented that it took the death of a person for the SMC to do all that.

Sanjit Roy, a group- D employee of the PWD, had been admitted to the Siliguri District Hospital with high fever on 5 September. Mr Roy owned a house at Haripur under the NJP police station.

"We were not satisfied with the treatment at the hospital, so we shifted him to a private nursing home at Matigara the next day. Doctors there informed us after three days that he had dengue. There was hardly any reason for his death. We believe wrong treatment in the nursing home led to his death," said the wife of the deceased, Rita Roy.

A health department team visited the complex today, while sources said mosquito larvae were found in some areas, including discarded car tyres.

Family members said Roy had come from Hyderabad in July for treatment for his liver problems. According to hospital superintendent Dr Chandan Ghosh, he would look into the charges and if a complaint had been filed.

Meanwhile, a resident of the complex, Riya De Sarkar, was in a hurry to take her mother Runu to the doctor.

"She is suffering from fever. In the complex, around seven persons are suffering from dengue. There has been hardly any cleanliness, proper vector control drive and spraying, while mosquitoes are a menace. There is no drainage system. But today there are many activities going on here. I have a child and I am deeply concerned about the situation, Mrs De Sarkar said.

There are 150 quarters in the complex, six flats in each block. There are around 300 residents in the complex run by the housing department of the Siliguri division.

The residents there said them had been no outlet in the complex where rainwater could pass through.

"Rainfall leads to water logging. Rainwater from the Station Feeder Road that runs parallel to the complex accumulates here. Our job is maintenance and repair works of the housing complex," said t he department executive engineer, Mihir Sarkar.

A resident, who expressed her concerns over a big puddle, said no adequate measures had been taken against mosquito breeding sites.

"This puddle is likely to be the mosquito breeding spot close to the infected persons' blocks. We have found that all the seven dengue cases found in the blocks are closely located near the site. No resident in other blocks of the complex has been affected by dengue so far. The puddle is in between the blocks and the Siliguri Hindi High School (SHHS). We know that an Anopheles mosquito can fly up to 400 meters, which means anyone living in that range is at risk of infection during the dengue season," he said.

The ward councillor and chairperson of borough IV, Jayanta Saha, alleged there were lacunae on the part of the housing department to some extent. Mr Saha said it was not possible for the civic body alone to ensure proper cleanliness in the complex.

"WIC are trying our level best to ensure services inside the complex. But it is not correct to blame the civic body. The complex was constructed in the 1980s in an unplanned manner. It is located on around 15 acres of land. We have alerted the real estate developer of the site. The health department will he able to identify the breeding sites of mosquito," Mr Saha said.

Meanwhile, Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb said the death was unfortunate.

"I knew him personally. He had also been suffering from liver ailments, He had been tested positive for dengue. It is very unfortunate. We have cleaned the housing complex today," he said.

Later, he met family members of the deceased. Mrs Roy expressed her grievances over the treatment of her husband. He also talked to society members of the complex and housing department engineers over the issue of cleanliness.