Bhubaneswar: At least one person has so far died and 55 others tested positive to dengue virus this year following which the Odisha government made provision of free blood test in three state-run medical college hospitals and seven other places, official sources said today.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Atanu S Nayak told reporters that the lone death had occurred in Jagatsinghpur on July 28 while the highest case of ten affected had been reported from Khurda district comprising the capital Bhubaneswar.
“As one person died of dengue, the state government has made provision of free blood test. Of the total 7007 blood samples tested so far, 55 have tested positive to dengue virus,” Nayak said.
The minister said the places where free blood tests were being done comprised three state run medical colleges at Cuttack, Burla and Berhampur besides, district headquarter hospitals at Balasore, Sundergarh, Kalahandi, Koraput and Angul. This apart, dengue blood tests were done free at MCL Hospital, he said.
Of the 55 dengue positive cases, 19 persons had brought the infection from outside the state, Nayak said adding that 17 persons had visited Bengaluru and two others Chennai.
Asked about the condition of five patients undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College Hospital, the minister said, “their condition was out of danger.”
Last year, the number of dengue cases by end of July was 318 out of 1354 blood samples tested, the minister said adding that the people are gradually becoming aware of the disease.
