Total of 120 deaths in Tripura owing to AIDS
Agartala: Even as Tripura falls among low-prevalence states, altogether 120 AIDS patients have fallen prey to the deadly disease till the date, official sources confirmed here on Monday.
Currently the state has 1111 HIV positive cases while the number of registered AIDS patients stands at 991. Of the total AIDS patients, 389 are receiving treatment from the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) at GBP Hospital.
In the year 2011-12 FY, as many as 53,927 blood samples were tested across the state and out of which only 197 blood slides were diagnosed positive. The positivity rate stood 0.36. Likewise, 64156 blood samples were tested during the year 2012-13 FY while only 185 positive cases detected. In the same year, the positivity rate was 0.33.
Altogether 42,094 blood samples were tested during current financial year (2013-14) and only 118 HIV positive cases were detected till October. The positivity rate stood 1.28 percent which is very low.
As per the statistics, the state has 991 AIDS patients and out of whom 814 are registered with the Tripura State AIDS Control Society. Around 177 AIDS patients have not enrolled their names with the Society. Sources in the TSACS said a sizable number of HIV positive cases or AIDS patients are from central security forces.
“The statistics clearly indicates, the number of HIV positive cases or AIDS patients is not increasing in the state. Yet, we are doing our level best to control the deadly disease”, said Project Director of TSACS Dr. Tapan Kumar Das here on Monday.
Talking to Tripura Times at the TSACS office here, Dr. Das underlined need to sensitize people about the disease though the state is in better position when it comes to prevalence rate (.23).
This year, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a slogan- getting to zero to tackle the deadly disease. Getting to zero means zero new infection, zero discrimination and zero death. “We are working on the WHO prescribed slogan to address the problem”, added he.
‘Brus in Tripura should be given last chance to return’
Aizawl: Bru refugees in Tripura should be given one last chance of returning to Mizoram, failing which they would forfeit the chance of returning to the state, Mizo and Bru civil societies at Mamit district have demanded. “The meeting of Mizo and Bru leaders decided that the Bru refugee issue should be resolved once and for all and that one last effort should be made by the government to repatriate all Brus from Tripura relief camps,” leaders of Young Mizo Association said on Monday.
They said that this was the demand at a meeting held on Saturday by village councils and NGOs at Mamit – on the border with Tripura and Bangladesh.
The meeting said that those refusing to return to Mizoram during the repatriation process should not be allowed to come back and they should remain in Tripura for the rest of their lives.
It was alleged that some Brus living in relief camps were into abductions after acquiring arms and working under the outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura. (PTI)
Royal Bengal Tiger killed, elephant injured in Kaziranga
Kaziranga (Assam): A Royal Bengal Tiger was killed and an elephant seriously injured in two separate incidents of infighting in two ranges of Assam’s Kaziranga National Park.
The carcass of the tiger was found in Normara beel in Kohora range of the Park last night by patrolling Park personnel and was suspected to have died due to infighting among the species, Park officials said on Monday.
In another incident of suspected infighting, an elephant was seriously injured in Bagori range of the Park and was found by patrolling forest officials on Monday.
A team of veterinarians have rushed to the spot to attend to the injured elephant. This is the third incident of infighting among elephants since November 23 with two pachyderms being killed so far, sources added. (PTI)
Govt quarter, PDS godown gutted
Itanagar: One government quarter and an old public distribution system (PDS) godown were reduced to ashes in a devastating fire which broke out at Mechukha Township in West Siang district.
The fire broke out from the PDS godown late last night.
However, the exact cause of the fire was yet to be known, official sources said today.
The government quarter of supply inspector Mechukha was gutted and nothing could be saved as the owner was not present at the time of mishap, the sources said.
The fire was brought under control only after Army and police personnel along with the civilians rushed to the spot and finally extinguished it. (PTI)
Man held for sexually harassing teenage daughter
Guwahati: The police have arrested a man on the charge of sexually harassing her 19-year-old daughter in Guwahati, the police said on Monday.
The BA 1st year student, a resident of Six Mile area here, lodged an FIR in Dispur police station yesterday that her father was sexually harassing her for the past three months. The girl also complained in her FIR that her father, a shop owner, was also physically assaulting her regularly.
The man was arrested under Section 354 IPC (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty). He was remanded to jail custody by a local court. (PTI)