By Sandeep Mishra
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Dec 18: The dengue epidemic in the state has finally come under control with the last death being recorded two months ago in October.
The disease has claimed nine lives this year, including four in Jajpur, two each in Jagatsinghpur and Bhadrak, and one in Angul. All the districts of the state except Malkangiri reported dengue positive cases this year.
The menace was at its peak in Jajpur’s Kalinga Nagar area from August to October where Tata Steel has allegedly neglected sanitation and hygiene in the area. The four deaths reported from the district were all linked to Tata Steel as some of the victims were the plant’s employees and the others were the victim’s relatives.
The epidemic finally came under control after health experts from various quarters, including the state and the Centre, visited the area and repeatedly conducted sanitation drives as well as sensitisation programmes among people.
About 6,401 persons were affected by dengue out of the 20,603 blood samples that were tested, according to data extracted from the office of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme.
Last year, the number of persons affected stood at 6,856 out of the 23,154 blood samples tested. Besides, the state had recorded only five deaths last year against the nine this year.
The rush of patients at hospitals has also reduced considerably with the NVBDCP recording only nine hospital admissions in the past 24 hours. Moreover, out of the 26 tested blood samples, health experts found only 10 dengue positive cases.
