Panic grips Orissa’s mining belt as Dengue claims 2 lives

By Debadas Pradhan

Bhubaneswar, Aug 7: A 36-year-old man died of dengue at a private hospital here on Saturday, taking the total death toll in the infectious tropical disease to two in the last 36 hours.

Brunesh Mohant, a 36-year-old youth from Talcher who was admitted to Ayush Hospitals & Trauma Care here in the city on Friday evening, breathed his last at 1.50 p.m. The first dengue death of this season was reported from the Talcher colliery area on Friday. Narahari Behera, who was admitted to Cuttack-based Sun Hospital, died after battling for life for six days.

According reports, nearly 50 people are suffering from the disease in different parts of the state.

Of the 42 samples examined at the Sriram Chandra Bhanja Medical College, Cuttack, 27 tested positive. Angul reported the highest 21 cases while three each were received from Sudergarh and Cuttack districts.

In a quick response, the state government deputed health teams to the affected pockets.

“The government has promptly responded to the situation. We have sent separate health teams to Angul, Cuttack and Sundergarh districts,” health minister Prasanna Acharya told reporters here

Most of the dengue cases were reported from Talcher colliery areas near Angul as stagnant water was a breeding ground for mosquitoes, the minister said.

He added that authorities in all districts and the state capital had been asked to take immediate preventive steps and mosquito control measures.

Source: www.indusvalleytimes.com