Dengue back to haunt Cuttack residents

CUTTACK: Amid the prevailing Covid-19 scare, emergence of dengue menace with the onset of monsoon has raised concern for residents of Millennium city. As many as four dengue cases have been reported from the city in the last one week. While one was detected from Mangalabag locality, three others were from Malgodown. “All four persons were suffering from fever and tested for Covid-19. After found negative for the virus, they were tested for dengue,” said a senior doctor of SCB Medical College and Hospital.

He said the four patients are undergoing treatment at home. Cuttack district is no stranger to dengue. Sources said over 4,800 cases of the vector-borne disease and seven deaths have been reported from the district in the last five years. Cuttack city alone had reported 980 cases in 2018. Jagatpur, Jobra Tina Pita Sahi, Rausapatana, Darghapatna, Nuapada, Kathagada Sahi and SCB Medical campus were identified as hotspots as massive numbers of dengue cases were reported from the localities. Last year too, sporadic cases were detected from the city. The residents worry that if adequate steps are not taken by the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) the situation may worsen this year.

The rise in cases of dengue can be attributed to unhygienic and insanitary conditions prevailing in the localities facilitating breeding of Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes. While garbage accumulated at localities are not disposed off properly, no steps have yet been taken by the civic body to clear bushes and waterlogging in the city. City health officer Satyabrat Mohapatra said two special teams comprising a pharmacist each have been formed to keep watch on dengue hotspots.