• Students in Sikkim under Nairobi attack

    Regional
    Students in Sikkim under Nairobi attack

    Digital
    Desk: Following contact with Nairobi flies, approximately 100 students at an
    engineering college in East Sikkim developed serious skin diseases, according
    to officials on Tuesday.



    They
    reported that Nairobi flies, which are native to East Africa, are expanding
    quickly on the Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology (SMIT) campus in
    Majhitar.



    They
    claimed that a student who had just become ill with the insects had to have his
    hand surgically repaired. According to Health Department experts, despite not
    being local, the flies can take over new locations as they search for breeding
    grounds and an abundant food supply.



    They
    claimed that these flies typically devour bugs and ruin crops.



    Although
    these flies do not bite, they have been reported to generate a powerful acidic
    chemical that can burn flesh when disturbed while resting on someone's body.



    It
    is best to gently blow the flies off without disturbing or touching them. It is
    best to use soap and water to wash the area where these flies are present.



    According to the college
    administration, the affected students are receiving treatment and recuperating.



    Students are being informed of the dos
    and don'ts for handling the situation as insecticides are being sprayed on the
    campus, it said.