Dengue detected among IDPs in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 22 July 2009, 10:09 GMT]
For the first time seven persons were admitted to Vavuniyaa general hospital Tuesday on a single day suffering from Dengue fever, according to hospital sources. Six of the thirteen patients admitted to Vavuniyaa Hospital on that day had also been detected suffering from Japanese Encephalitis. The dengue patients are said to be inmates from Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps located in Vavuniyaa. These IDP camps where hundreds of thousands of Vanni displaced persons are held are described as internment camps by human rights organizations and activists.

Following the detection of dengue patients, steps have been taken by Vavuniyaa hospital authorities to conduct blood checks on all patients seeking treatment with a history of fever.

Meanwhile, civil sources in Vavuniyaa complain that health authorities in Vavuniyaa have failed to adopt proper measures to contain the spread of dengue in IDP camps and elsewhere in the district.