A special drive for filaria detection was launched in Raipur district, officials said on Wednesday.
The blood sample collection was started in Arang in Abhanpur block along with Kasiram Nagar and Rajendra Nagar in Raipur city as these are sensitive filaria spots, a press release said.
Dr Vimal Kishor Rai said health teams are visiting door to door and collecting samples. Also, residents were being provided filaria preventive medicine.
If filaria is not treated in its early stage, it becomes incurable.
Filaria is spread by flex and mensonides mosquitos which leave a parasite when they bite. The parasite replicates quickly and is active in outer blood veins at night, the release said, adding this is why samples are collected at night.