Bhubaneswar (Reporterspen), June 19: The Odisha government initiated a targeted vaccination campaign on Wednesday in Rayagada district to combat a diphtheria outbreak, particularly in the Kasipur area where five children have tragically succumbed to the disease.
The outbreak has also spread to neighboring districts of Kalahandi and Koraput, prompting the Health and Family Welfare Department to instruct district administrations to implement preventive measures to halt further transmission.
Under the new measures, infants under one year will receive pentavalent vaccines, while children aged one to seven will be given single-dose vaccinations for diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and tetanus (DPT). Children over seven years old will receive tetanus and diphtheria (TD) vaccines.
Shalini Pandit, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Health and Family Welfare (HFW) Department, directed the Rayagada Collector to take decisive actions to contain the outbreak in Manushpadar village of Kashipur Block. Measures include intensive disease control efforts targeting vulnerable populations.
Additionally, the Public Health Department advised individuals afflicted with diphtheria to wear masks to prevent further spread.
As of now, a total of 21 diphtheria cases have been reported across the three districts, with 15 in Rayagada, one in Koraput, and the remaining four to five cases in Kalahandi.
