West Bengal has tightened its dengue testing and patient-monitoring protocol, directing health facilities to use an NS1 antigen ELISA test during the first five days of fever and an IgM test after that period. The revised guidance was issued after a state-level virtual meeting attended by health officials, municipal commissioners, medical colleges and district magistrates.
According to a report by Sangbad Pratidin – Kolkata, the latest figures available on the state Health Department’s website showed that 3,700 dengue tests had been conducted, with 128 people testing positive. As many as 256 dengue patients were reported to be admitted to hospitals, while sources cited in the report put the overall number of infections at nearly 9,000.
The virtual meeting was held on Wednesday and included West Bengal Health Minister Dr Sharadwat Mukhopadhyay, representatives of the state’s six municipal corporations and six municipalities, all medical colleges and district magistrates. Commissioners from the municipal corporations of Kolkata, Howrah, Siliguri, Bidhannagar, Durgapur and Asansol also attended.
The report said Murshidabad currently had the highest number of dengue infections in the state, followed by Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and Hooghly. The participation of municipal bodies reflects the operational role of urban administrations in surveillance, public communication and coordination with health facilities during the outbreak.
Under the new guidance, the first three to five days of dengue fever are to be treated as a period requiring close observation. Health workers and families have been asked to monitor changes in urination, sleep, seizures and other physical conditions. Families are also to be made aware of warning signs that require prompt contact with a health centre.
These warning signs include abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, extreme weakness, seizures, loss of consciousness and bleeding from any part of the body. Health department officials cited in the report said the principal risk from dengue can begin after the fever subsides, making continued observation necessary even when the patient’s temperature falls.
The testing protocol distinguishes between the early and later stages of fever. During the first five days, the guidance calls for an NS1 antigen ELISA test, while an IgM test is to be used after five days. If fever continues for more than 10 days, healthcare providers have been instructed to investigate other possible infections, including leptospirosis and scrub typhus. For hospitalised patients, hospital-acquired infections must also be considered.
The guidance also advises against unnecessary panic over platelet counts. The next stage of the state’s response will depend on continued monitoring of patients, coordination between health facilities and local governments, and the implementation of the revised testing instructions across the affected districts and cities.
