BERHAMPUR: The outbreak of an unknown disease in villages under Ankuli panchayat in Ganjam’s Patrapur block has been identified as malaria, health officials said. Medical officer of Patrapur community health centre (CHC) Dr S Begroy said seven of the 200 blood samples collected from Titirisingi village have been found positive for malaria.
Dr Begroy along with a health team visited the inaccessible villages on Monday evening after it was reported that an unidentified disease had claimed the life of three-year-old Rakhi Bisoyi in Titirisingi and affected many residents.
Confirming the death of the kid, Dr Begroy said Rakhi succumbed on May 15. However, the exact cause of her death is yet to be ascertained. Rapid response teams (RRTs) conducted mass surveillance under the malaria control programme DAMaN in Titirisingi village and administered drugs to the affected villagers. Mosquito nets were also distributed to the villagers.The RRTs have been directed to carry out mass surveillance in all the affected villages under Ankuli, Tumba and Buratal panchayats, Dr Begroy added.