Dengue infected patients’ number rises to 410 in Odisha

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Sep 15:

The dengue virus continues to spread its tentacles in Odisha as the number of patients tested positive in the state jumped to 410 today. On the other hand, the virus claimed it first victim which was reported from VIMSAR, Burla.

As per latest reports, 93 patients tested positive at VIMSAR hospital’s dengue ward whereas 14 are still under treatment with one death so far.  Similarly, in the dengue ward of SCB medical college and hospital in Cuttack, a total 129 dengue patients have been identified so far with 44 patients currently under treatment.

Incidents of dengue have been received from 10 districts including Bhadrak, Balasore, Cuttack, Jagantsinghpur, Jajpur, Khurda, Kendrapara, Angul, Balangir and Dhenkanal out of which Bhadrak continues to be the worst-affected.

With the heavy increase in numbers, the government hospitals appeared to be utterly unprepared to address the challenges caused by the deadly disease.  Many of the government-run hospitals don’t even have a special ward to treat the patients even though the state government had asked all hospitals to be prepared to deal with any crisis situation.

Lack of hygiene and concrete steps by government and local administration to curb mosquito breeding doesn’t help either. Wastes dumped by industrial houses add to the misery. No wonder, most of the dengue cases reported this year are from urban areas.

The state government today asked people not to panic over the spread of the disease and has issued directions to field officials and doctors to provide immediate treatment to patients.

“All the 30 district headquarter hospitals have the blood test facility to detect dengue virus. The field personnel have also been given special kits to treat dengue patients at the village level. The condition is much better than previous year,” said a health department official.

Notably, as per a report from the Health and Family Welfare Department as many as 1245 people were affected and three had died of the disease last year.