Berhampur: There is no let-up in spread of dengue in Ganjam district as the disease continues to spiral with each passing day. With the addition of four new cases Tuesday, the number of affected persons has gone up to 161 in the district. The new cases have been reported from Kukudakhandi, Buguda, Shergad and Digapahandi blocks. All the four have been admitted to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital here and are undergoing treatment, district health department officials said. Two of the newly-infected persons have contracted the disease during their stay outside the state.
Among them is a 62-year-old man who was working in Chennai and had just returned home in Buguda. Similarly a 20-year-old man working in Surat tested positive for dengue after returning to his native village in Shergad block. A 40-year-old woman of Krupasindhupur village under Kukudakhandi block was suffering from cough and fever. After her blood sample was tested, it turned out to be dengue positive. A 36-year-old youth of Siddheswar village under Digapahandi block is the latest to contract the disease. CDMO Dr Umashankar Mishra said that health officials are conducting awareness programmes across the district.
Pesticides are also being sprayed in all water bodies and drains which are the breeding grounds for dengue-causing Aedes mosquitoes. However, it should be stated here that despite the best efforts of the district administration, the disease is spreading fast.