Bhawanipatna: As many as 44 dengue cases were detected in Ladugaon village under Koksara block of Kalahandi district, reports said.
Confirming this, chief district medical officer (CDMO) Dr Saroj Kumar Tiadi said, “44 samples out of 218 sent for examination tested positive for the vector-borne disease.”
Eight dengue patients are undergoing treatment at Bhawanipatna hospital, while some are under treatment at private hospitals.
Locals blamed rice mills for spreading the disease. The discharge of about 12 rice mills getting stagnated near the village canal acts as a breeding ground for mosquitoes, they alleged.
The sub-collector visited Ladugaon and took stock of the situation Sunday, while a team of medical officials has been camping in the village for the last three days.
A massive sanitation and awareness drive has also been undertaken to contain the disease.
The officials are visiting door-to-door to sensitise people about the importance of keeping their surroundings clean.