Dengue menace back to haunt Bhubaneswar

The Capital City is witnessing a surge in dengue cases with several areas like Nayapalli, Unit-VI Tarini slum, Niladri Vihar, Chandrasekharpur BDA colony turning out to be dengue hubs.

It has been alleged that a seven-year-old child from Khandagiri area died of dengue. Similarly, a 62-year-old woman suffering from dengue also allegedly lost her life while undergoing treatment in the Capital Hospital.

However, as per health authorities, it has not yet been ascertained whether they died of dengue or some other reason. An inquiry is being carried out to ascertain the cause behind their death.

Meanwhile, discontentment is brewing among the residents in Bhubaneswar regarding the spurt in dengue cases in most parts of the city.

However, as per the State Public Health Director Niranjan Mishra, dengue has not reached a dangerous stage in the State so far.

“Though the testing of dengue has been intensified, the positive rate is low in the State,” said Mishra.

“Except Bhubaneswar, seven other districts have reported 10-40 cases. In other 12 districts, the number of cases has been confined to single digits so far. If dengue symptoms are found in anybody, he should immediately go for testing,” he added.

Meanwhile, as per the available fact, while 336 dengue-positive cases have been recorded in Khordha, Bhubaneswar has witnessed more than 200 cases so far.

To curb the dengue menace in the Capital City, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started a door-to-door awareness campaign.

As part of the campaign, a team of doctors and health workers will visit every house in their locality to make people aware of the outbreak of Dengue and how to keep it at bay. 

Moreover, BMC Commissioner has ordered to intensify the awareness campaign mainly in dengue hotspot areas. The health workers will make people aware not to allow storage of water inside their houses and in their vicinity that generally turn into mosquito breeding hubs. If required, the team will conduct demos about it to the people.