Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Wednesday launched a special vaccination drive in Rayagada district to contain the diphtheria outbreak, especially in the Kasipur area which witnessed the death of five children.
As the outbreak has spread to the neighbouring districts of Kalahandi and Koraput, the Health and Family Welfare Department has asked district administrations to take preventive measures to contain the disease from further spreading.
As per the measures, kids under one year will be given the pentavalent vaccines while children aged between one and seven will be administered single-dose diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and tetanus (DPT) vaccines. Besides, children above seven years will be administered tetanus and Diphtheria (TD) doses.
Meanwhile, commissioner-cum-Secretary of Health and Family Welfare (HFW) Department Shalini Pandit, directed Collector, Rayagada to take appropriate action for containment of the outbreak of Diphtheria in Manushpadar village of Kashipur Block. In a letter Pandit directed Collector, Rayagada to take a slew of measures to control the further spread of disease among vulnerable populations.
Besides, the Public Health Department has urged people suffering from diphtheria to wear masks.
So far, 21 diphtheria cases have been reported from three districts. Besides, 15 cases have been reported in Rayagada, 1 in Koraput and the remaining 4 to 5 cases in Kalahandi.
