Rayagada: The Odisha government today launched a special vaccination drive in Rayagada district due to diphtheria outbreak in the Kashipur area, which has resulted in the deaths of five children.

To control the spread of the disease, movement in and out of Mahushpadar village, where the fatalities occurred, has been restricted, and containment measures will continue to prevent the disease from reaching neighbouring villages.

The outbreak has already spread to the bordering districts of Koraput and Kalahandi.

The Health and Family Welfare Department has instructed the district administration to make extensive arrangements to vaccinate children. Kids under one year will receive the pentavalent vaccine, children aged one to seven will get the single-dose diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and tetanus (DPT) vaccine, and those above seven will be given the tetanus and diphtheria (Td) vaccine.

Health Secretary Shalini Pandit said that the vaccination will initially target non-immunized and under-immunized children identified during a house-to-house survey in Mahushpadar village. The drive will then expand to other hard-to-reach areas and include children who were previously left out or had dropped out.