Bhubaneswar: The performance of Odisha in controlling dengue is better than many other states, secretary for Health and Family Welfare in Odisha Government PK Meherda said.
Speaking at a function on the initiatives taken by the state to control dengue and malaria on the ‘National Dengue Day’ here Thursday Meherda said Odisha is way ahead of six other states in controlling the disease.
Dengue was first detected in the country in 1945 and took an epidemic form for the first time in Delhi in 1988. In 2018, as many as 89,974 people were affected by dengue and 144 people died of the disease.
This disease broke out in Odisha for the first time in 2010. In 2018, as many as 5,198 people were affected out of which five died. Out of this 5,198 as many as 1,559 were from outside the state, the Secretary said.
The government, he said, has distributed 56 lakh more medicated mosquito nets to the people to prevent the spread of the disease.
The incidence of Malaria has also been reduced by 84 per cent due to the use of medicated mosquitoes and other initiatives taken by the government, he claimed.
(UNI)