BHUBANESWAR: Khurda district has turned out to be the epicentre of viral infections this year so far. Swine flu and dengue apart, even acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) has made its presence felt in the seat of State’s administration.Going by the incidence footprints, the district alone has 82 out of 171 swine flu cases that have been reported this year. Most of the cases have been detected from the beginning of this month, and many are from Bhubaneswar.
Of the 11 persons who died of the flu, five are from Khurda. On Tuesday and Wednesday, two more deaths were reported, both from hospitals in the city. As many as 47 samples were sent for testing on Wednesday of which 16 were positive. Five of the patients are from Khurda while four are from Cuttack.
Similarly, dengue outbreak also suggests a similar pattern. Though Bhadrak and Cuttack recorded the highest number of transmissions at 67 and 61 respectively, Khurda is not behind. At 35 cases, Khurda is at the fourth place, just below Balasore where 59 cases have been detected this year.
Of the 10 deaths caused by AES, three have been reported from Khurda which suggested the viral infection load of the district.So far, as many as 402 dengue cases have been reported and the Health Department said, 70 per cent of the cases have a history of out state infection. So far, two deaths have been recorded. One of the deceased was from Bihar while the other victim reportedly contracted the infection from Bengaluru. The Health Department said, a total of 4348 dengue cases were reported with eight deaths for the corresponding period last year. Apart from three deaths recorded so far in Khurda, two are from Balasore, while one each died in Kendrapara, Jajpur, Nayagarh, Puri and Sambalpur districts.
H1N1 fear: CMC on pig cleaning drive
Cuttack: Considering the rise in cases of swine flu in Silver City, authorities of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) have intensified the drive to clean the city of pigs. As per a survey, the pig population in the city is around 900 and is concentrated along river bank of Mahanadi and Kathajodi at CDA, Bidanasi, Khannagar, Jagatpur, Hadia Patha, Sati Chaura, Nehru Palli and Gandhi Palli localities. About 90 families, mostly those residing in slums of the city, rear pigs to eke out a living and some individuals rear pigs for commercial purposes. “We have issued notices with deadline to pig-keepers asking them to shift their herds out of the city limits, at least 5 km from human habitation,” said Ranjan Kumar Biswal, Chairman, CMC Standing Committee for Health and Sanitation. If they don't respond, steps will be taken to shift the pigs to an isolated location on the outskirts of the city till swine flu situation improves, he added. The move of the civic body came in response to public demand after rise in H1N1 infection cases
in the city.
Worrying figures