BERHAMPUR : Dengue has reportedly claimed the lives of two persons and affected 50 others in the tribal-dominated Sikarpai village under Kalyansingpur block in Rayagada district in the last one week.
A villager, identified as K Nimalpuri (35), reportedly died of dengue while undergoing treatment at MKCG Medical College and Hospital (MCH) on Wednesday. Villagers alleged that another person had died of the vector-borne disease on Monday.
Sources said most of the affected villagers are undergoing treatment at MKCGMCH, Rayagada hospital and private hospitals at Visakhapatnam. A health team from the district headquarters hospital (DHH) is camping in Sikarpai and treating villagers with dengue symptoms. A senior health official said to confirm the number of affected persons, the DHH team is keeping a tab on all suspected dengue cases at multiple hospitals.
On the day, chief district medical officer (CDMO) of Rayagada Dr LM Routray convened a emergency meeting of health officials to chalk out plans to curb the spread of dengue in the village. On Tuesday, a team headed by additional district medical officer Dr B L N Prusty had collected blood samples of 70 villagers of which 29 were found positive for dengue. The affected persons were admitted to Rayagada hospital. Two of them including Nimalpuri were later shifted to Sahid Laxman Naik MCH at Koraput on Tuesday. As condition of Nimalpuri deteriorated, he was brought to MKCG but he succumbed during treatment.
While the dengue outbreak has sparked panic in Sikarpai, the health officials have initiated measures to eliminate the breeding grounds of mosquitoes in the locality. Apart from spraying insecticide and bleaching powder in water bodies, the team is advising villagers to use mosquito nets and consume boiled water.