BHUBANESWAR: With dengue cases on the rise in Angul-Talcher belt, the State Government on Sunday initiated emergency measures to control its spread by accelerating anti-mosquito spray and fogging campaigns. As many as 40 knapsack machines would be pressed into service in the 30 affected villages in the Talcher Colliery belt for eliminating mosquitoes through indoor residual spraying. Two vehicles mounted with fogging machines have been provided by MCL and five hand-held fogging machines requisitioned from the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) to intensify the anti-mosquito and larvicidal operations. An emergency meeting was held at Angul on Sunday to identify the problem areas and chart the course of action. It was attended by the collector, expert team members comprising director, Public Health, and deputy director (Malaria), local MLAs and the MCL CMD. The first priority is to get rid of stagnant water and disposing of garbage and solid waste. A massive sensitisation drive among the public in the affected pockets would also be undertaken from Monday. “About 200 teachers were given training on prevention and control measures. They would in turn make the children in the schools aware of the problem. The first period in every school in the district would be devoted to imparting knowledge on dengue prevention and control mechanisms,” State Nodal Officer for Disease Surveillance Dr Bikash Patnaik said. Besides, 30 health workers have been deployed in the 30 villages to monitor each and every case of fever and dengue-like symptoms. They would report the matter to the health authorities immediately along with initiating medical assistance for the ailing. Dengue outbreak, which has most severely manifested in the Talcher MCL Colliery region, has till now claimed two lives. More than 30 cases have been confirmed while unofficial sources put the number of affected persons at over 100.
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