Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), June 20: The death toll from diphtheria in Odisha has climbed to six as a 10-year-old boy passed away at Berhampur’s MKCG Medical College and Hospital. The boy, hailing from Kumbiraput village in Koraput district’s Bandhugaon block, succumbed to the disease while receiving treatment, according to sources on Thursday.
Superintendent of MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Suchitra Das, confirmed the boy’s critical condition and his unfortunate demise during treatment. Previously, five fatalities had occurred in the Kashipur area of Rayagada district due to diphtheria.
Public Health Director Nilakantha Mishra stated that no new cases of diphtheria had been reported since Wednesday. He added that all patients from Rayagada hospital had been discharged, while four individuals were currently under treatment at Kalahandi hospital, as reported to the media.
Mishra emphasized that surveillance efforts were being bolstered, with ongoing surveys being conducted in villages surrounding the affected areas.
In response to the situation, the state government launched a targeted vaccination campaign on Wednesday in Rayagada district, particularly in the Kashipur area where five children had lost their lives to diphtheria.
With the outbreak spreading to neighboring Kalahandi and Koraput districts, the Health and Family Welfare department has instructed local administrations to implement preventive measures to curb further transmission of the disease.
