80 more dengue cases in Odisha

At least 80 people in Odisha tested positive for dengue in the last couple of days, taking the total number of those affected by the disease in the state to 1,707 this year, an official said Thursday.

The death toll due to the outbreak has, however, remained at four with no new death reported from any part of the state, M.M. Pradhan, joint director of the state health department, told IANS.

Majority of the latest cases were reported from the worst hit districts of Balasore and Ganjam, he said, adding the patients were receiving treatments at home.

Pradhan said that trained volunteers were carrying out awareness campaigns in the affected areas.

At least 33 people were killed, mostly in the Talcher area of Angul district, by the viral disease last year. This year, however, the number of patients reported from this region has remained negligible, Pradhan said.