Bhubaneswar: Dengue cases are rising alarmingly across Odisha and the capital city Bhubaneswar is emerging as the hotspot of this vector-borne disease.
According to Dr. Niranjan Mishra, Odisha Public Health Director, last year the authorities conducted 18,700 dengue tests across Odisha and this year the figure has crossed 38,500 showing an increase of nearly 200 per cent cases. “On an average more than 60 fresh cases of dengue are being detected in Odisha daily for about a month now,” Dr Mishra said.
Of the 2,426 dengue cases detected in Odisha so far, Khurda district alone accounts for 1,220 patients, while the number of patients in Bhubaneswar, which is part of Khurda district, is 1164. Dr. Mishra said that dengue cases went up in Odisha this year as the state has extended surveillance and testing.
Keeping in view the rising cases of dengue this year, the government has decided to open four dengue testing centers and wards to treat patients in four locations in Bhubaneswar.
However, Dr Mishra claimed that the situation in Odisha was not worse in comparison to other states and its position vis-à-vis dengue incidences will be 14th or 15th in the country. He further added that there is nothing to panic over the situation as the complication rate is less than five per cent and the fatality rate is less than one per cent.
He added that dengue patients can be treated even at home. “We have made provisions for dengue sample collection and treatment at four community health centers in Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) area. If any patient develops complications, the person will be shifted to the hospital,” he said.
