Dengue cases in Odisha rise to 22

Bhubaneswar, July 17: Nine more

were confirmed in

on Wednesday, taking the number of those infected with the mosquito-borne disease in the state to 22 this year. However, no deaths have been reported so far, an official said.

Of the latest nine cases, highest five cases have been reported from Cuttack city, about 26 km from here. Jajpur reported two cases, while Angul and Dhenkanal districts have both reported one each.

"No death has been reported so far. There is nothing to panic. Elaborate arrangements have been made to deal with the situation," state health secretary P.K. Mohapatra said.

The state government has created a special ward for dengue patients at Sriram Chandra Bhanja (SCB) Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

Besides, the local administrations concerned have launched special sanitation drives in the affected areas to check the spread of the disease, he said.

IANS