Berhampur: Panic gripped Ganjam after more than 15 regions in the district including Berhampur and Girisola were reported to be affected by the disease Saturday. Meanwhile, 157 persons tested positive for dengue while unofficial estimates put the number much higher.
Eighteen persons tested positive for dengue Friday while three more were added to the count till Saturday, District Malaria Eradication Officer Umashankar Mishra said.
More than 70 affected persons were undergoing treatment at MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur while the rest preferred to check into private nursing homes. Many were shifted to Visakhapatnam for further treatment as their condition deteriorated. Besides Girisola and Berhampur, the disease was believed to have spread to many other villages, sources said.
Gopalpur, Sorada, Aska, Balipadar, Chikiti, Rengailunda, Rambha, Dharakote, Haripur, Sunpur, K Nuagaon, Sumandi and Gourangapatna were gripped by the vector-borne disease. However, Girisola had the highest number of affected persons in the district, sources said. More than 100 persons tested positive from Girisola alone, sources added.
Residents were said to be living in mortal fear of contracting the dreaded disease after witnessing casualties around them, and many are said to have already left the village to seek shelter at relatives’ places. A medical team has camped in the village but is having little impact, according to sources. Every day, new cases are being admitted to Berhampur hospital.
Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) members Saturday gheraoed the Chief District Medical Officer’s office demanding immediate steps be taken to check the outbreak of the disease.
They demanded the immediate cleaning of garbage and stagnant water in the affected regions of the district. Their demands included regular inspection visits of medical teams, supply of mosquito nets, spraying of mosquito-killing insecticides in the affected regions. PNN
