The killer dengue has spread its tentacles as 370 people have tested positive for the disease in the State.
The Health and Family Welfare Department sources said the highest number of 50 people was detected to have dengue virus in Bhadrak district. Apart from that, official sources said, positive cases have been reported from nine other districts, such as Baleswar, Cuttack, Jagantsinghpur, Jajpur, Khurda, Kendrapada, Angul, Balangir and Dhenkanal.
Health and Family Welfare Department Secretary Aarti Ahuja has been reviewing the dengue situation regularly and the department has issued directions to field officials and doctors to provide immediate treatment to patients. ‘Department sources said all the district headquarters hospitals have the blood test facility to detect dengue virus. The field personnel have also been given special kits to treat dengue patients at the village level, it added.
Keeping eye on the increasing cases, the State Government on Monday urged the people not to be panicked over the spread of the disease.
A department spokesman said the disease was in fact controlled this time through massive awareness campaign, as 1,245 people were affected and three of them had died of the fever last year.