CUTTACK: The season’s first suspected dengue death was reported from Muliabanka village in Badamba of Cuttack district on Saturday. Sources said the victim, Duryodhan Dehuri (53) was suffering from fever. He had attended a government health camp organised at Abhimanpur recently where his blood sample was collected and sent to SCB Medical College and Hospital for testing. Dehuri tested positive for dengue on August 3 following which he underwent treatment at a private clinic at Gopapur near his village.
Dehuri’s family alleged the doctor at the clinic treated him for typhoid instead of dengue. “My father was suffering from fever. After he tested positive, we took him to a private clinic where he was given medicine as prescribed by the doctor. When his blood sample was tested, it came positive. We took him to a private clinic. When his condition deteriorated we rushed him to Badamba hospital. But he died on the way to the hospital,” alleged Duhuri’s son Gangadhar.
“Dehuri who was reportedly suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was received dead at Badamba hospital. A health team has been deputed to Muliabanka and Chandpur where six other persons are suffering from dengue, to take stock of the situation,” said Cuttack CDMO Makaranda Beura.
He said the exact cause of Dehuri’s death is yet to be ascertained as his family refused to give consent for the autopsy of his body.
So far, 42 persons have tested positive for dengue in Cuttack district. While 20 are suffering from the disease in areas under Cuttack Municipal Corporation, the rest 22 cases have been detected in 14 blocks of the district, Beura informed.