Odishatv Bureau

Bhubaneswar/Cuttack: Despite intensive efforts by the state government to bring down the incidence of dengue, the vector-borne virus is spreading across Odisha at a fast rate.

Sources in the Health department said a total of 1862 patients have been afflicted with dengue with as many as 192 fresh patients identified today, most of them from Cuttack district and Barbil in Keonjhar district.

As part of the drive against dengue, which has assumed alarming proportions in the Millennium city, the state government has asked Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) to supervise and monitor the cleaning work in Jagatpur Industrial Estate area which began today.

Talking to OTV, Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO), Cuttack, Dr Prafulla Kumar Behera said while some patients have been identified in Jobra, Chauliaganj and Malha Sahi in the city, these areas are not the source of the dengue virus. “The main source is the Jagatpur Industrial Estate area from where the virus has spread to other parts of the city,” he informed.

In view of the rising number of patients, the SCB Medical College and Hospital authorities have made adequate arrangements.

Giving details of the arrangements, Emergency Officer of the hospital Dr Bhubanananda Maharana said till date, 165 patients have been admitted in the special dengue ward of which 130 patients are male and 35 female.

Out of 165 patients, 11 have been admitted in the ICU of which seven are from Cuttack, two from Jajpur and one each from Bhadrak and Jagatsingpur districts.

Of the 165 patients, 112 patients are from Cuttack district, eight patients each from Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, seven each from Kendrapara and Jajpur, three from Puri, two each from Balasore, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj and Khurda and one each from Nuapada, Nabarangpur and Sundargarh districts.

Till date, 532 patients have been admitted in the hospital of which 366 patients have been cured and discharged.

“In the last 24 hours, 46 patients have been admitted and 52 patients have been discharged from the hospital,” Maharana added.

He also informed that till yesterday blood samples of 253 patients were tested of which 89 have tested positive. Among the 89 patients, 76 are from Cuttack, four from Jajpur, two each from Bhadrak and Jagatsinghpur and one each from Angul, Dhenkanal, Kendrapara, Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts.

Talking about the total number of blood sample tests in SCB till date, he said out of 3838 tests of which 803 have been found with dengue virus. Out of 803 patients, Cuttack district has the highest number of patients with 489 followed by 97 from Keonjhar district.

Stating that the total number of beds in the special dengue ward had been increased to 215 with the deployment of additional doctors and paramedics to ensure timely treatment of the patients, Maharana said the treatment is being provided to dengue patients free of cost. “We are ready to increase the bed strength to 300 if there is a rise in the number of patients,” he maintained.

“Besides, as per the directive of the district collector, the Red Cross Blood Bank has been providing blood to the patients free of cos," he said.

Talking to newsmen earlier in the day, Dr GS Sonal, member of a Central team of the Health and Family Welfare ministry, said the people should be aware of the preventive measures instead of getting panicky about dengue. “Effective control and management of the vector, proper case management and inter-departmental coordination and regular cleaning of house and building premises are some of the basic preventive measures against dengue. Apart from this, parents and guardians should ensure that their children go to the educational institutions with full sleeve dresses to escape mosquito bite,” he said.

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