Stay off from quacks & superstitious practices, says govt as dengue scare grips Odisha villages

Jagatsinghpur: The Health and Family Welfare department today urged villagers of Kanaguli under Ersama block in the district to stay off from local quacks and superstitious practices to cure family members and relatives of dengue.
The request from the department came following reports that residents of this dengue-hit village were seeking help from local sorcerers and conducting special pujas to seek divine intervention to ward off the mosquito-borne disease.
"We understand that people are panicked. We cannot stop them from practicing their religious beliefs. However, we are trying to sensitise them that they should rather work on ensuring cleanliness of their surroundings to prevent spread of the disease. Also people should refrain from attributing all deaths to dengue as it would only add to panic," said Chief District Medical Officer Ashok Kumar Patnaik.
Meanwhile the number of dengue cases in the Kanaguli has risen to 55.

"Six medical teams are stationed in the village, conducting awareness and health check-up camps," informed the CDMO.
Volunteers and members from different NGOs have also landed up at the village to carry out awareness drives, informed sources.
"My son first took me to Kujang and later to SCB Medical College and Hospita where I was under treatment for about a week. Although I have returned home, I continue to feel sick," said Draupadi Khatua, a patient.
Notably, the disease has gripped as many as 28 districts in the state. As many as 492 positive cases have been reported from Bhubaneswar alone while 120 cases have been reported from Ladugaon in Kalahandi district.