Dengue cases mount in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Dengue cases are starting to mount with increased number of people testing positive for the disease across the state.

In Ladugaon of Kalahandi district, out of 218 cases, 44 persons have been tested positive and 13 have been admitted to the district headquarters hospital in critical condition, sources said.

With the situation spiralling out of control, government officials from various departments have visited the spot to take stock of the situation.

Similarly, in Singipur village of Gajapati district, as many as 10 persons have been admitted to a hospital in Vishakhapatnam, 12 in Srikakulam while 3 others are undergoing treatment at the district headquarters hospital.

Locals have claimed that four people have died till now and alleged that diagnosis is not being done properly at the local level forcing them to go outside the State.

Contrary to the claims, CDMO of Gajapati Bipin Bihari Panigrahi said “No one has died because of dengue. Some people are going outside for treatment but we are not aware of what kind of treatment they are undergoing.”

Even in Bhubaneswar, dengue cases have been reported from Saliasahi, ward no 16, 20, 21 and also in Chandrasekharpur.

However, the Health Department has claimed that only 3 persons have died of dengue till August 11 while 1,186 persons have been diagnosed.

Health minister Pratap Jena said that an alert has been issued to all the districts and adequate arrangements have been made.

“We have opened dengue ward in 30 districts and laboratories have been set up to conduct tests,” Jena said.