Berhampur: Dengue fever is spreading its tentacles in Ganjam district with more and more people being affected by the viral infection, a report said.
The total number of persons affected by dengue in the district has gone up to 18 with the blood samples of two more persons testing positive for the disease, Sunday.
This viral infection spreads through infected Aedes species of mosquito.
One of the affected persons affected by dengue recently is an 18-year-old youth from Gajapati Nagar under Berhampur Municipal Corporation, while the other patient is a 52-year-old man from Lochapada village under Kukudakhandi block in the district. They have been suffering from fever and tested their blood samples August 22. The reports of both the persons were positive, officials of district Health department said.
Among the 18 dengue patients in the district, eight are from Berhampur, two from Kukudakhandi block, two from Sorada block, two from Rangeilunda block and one each from Kabisuryanagar, Chhatrapur, Chikiti, and Aska blocks. Last year, nine persons were affected by dengue, while this year the number of patients is higher.
As many as 307 persons were identified as dengue positive in 2019 and 155 in 2018. The disease was detected for the first time in 2011 when 70 persons were identified as dengue positive. In 2012, 533 persons were identified as dengue positive, which is all time record for the district.
The disease is spreading every day prompting the district Health department to take various steps to sensitise the people about dengue. ASHA and Anganwadi workers are visiting the households and urging people to take preventive steps and not allow water to stagnate in their houses and compounds as stagnant water is the breeding ground of Aedes mosquitoes.
PNN