Nairobi Fly infection reaches North Bengal Medical College after Sikkim

PRASHANT ACHARYA

SILIGURI,: The Nairobi Fly infection has now spread from Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology (SMIT) at Majhitar near Rangpo to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri. The infection has turned severe and some students have left their hostel in NBMCH in fear of getting infected. Even the professors and staffs are infected.

Over the past few days, Siliguri has been reporting of number of flies in large numbers with several infected.

NBMCH student Anukul Barman shared, "The flies enter the hostel rooms mostly after dark and the authorities have least concern on the problem faced by the students. Concerned officer or head of the department have shown no interest and have neither visited the hostel campus or interacted with students".

Another student Sourav Roy said, “Students are leaving hostel in fear and those infected are forced to go outside for proper treatment".

NBMCH dean Subashchandra Roy shared, "We are quite aware about the problem and also have carried cleanliness drive and sanitized the hostel campus. Those who are or have faced problems have been asked to contact us if they have any query.”

Meanwhile, NBMCH doctors Dr. Shon Dutta and Dr. Arup Mondol while addressing local media in Bagdogra urged people to not panic as it is not an epidemic and neither communicable infection.

Dr. Dutta shared, “Precautionary measures including spray of pesticides and using mosquito nets is necessary and if infected must contact nearby doctors without delay."

Dr. Mondol suggested people to just blow the fly off, not slap them. "The Nairobi fly is actually a red-and-black beetle of the genus Paederus stays in bush and attracted towards artificial lights. It does not bite, but contains pederin, a stinging acid, to drive off predators. Smacking it on the skin releases the acid, which can leave a nasty welt; touching an eye with the acid can blind it for days. The condition is, of course, not contagious.”