Breeding ground of mosquitoes which lead to dengue. Telegraph picture

Balangir, July 20: Concerned over the death of a youth, who was suspected to be suffering from dengue, the district administration here sounded an alert across the town to prevent the spread of the disease.

Dr Vikrant Kindo, the chief district medical officer (CDMO), held discussions with district collector Sailendra Narayan Dey to find ways to combat the possible outbreak of the disease.

An emergency meeting of the municipal council was held today where the councillors were sensitised on sanitation in their respective areas. He also emphasised on the need to get rid of stagnant water to stop breeding of mosquitoes.

Sources said the youth, Dipti Prakash Ray from Balangir, was referred to a private hospital in Burla after he was suspected to be suffering from dengue. He tested positive at the hospital in Burla and was referred to Ispat General Hospital in Rourkela for treatment. However, Prakash died soon after reaching Rourkela on Monday. “The additional district medical officer (ADMO-public health) visited the house of the deceased and collected blood samples of the other family members,” said Kindo.

Panic gripped Balangir after the news of Prakash’s death. Local residents complained that the municipal authorities had done precious little to prevent breeding of mosquitoes in the town.

Satya Prakash Tripathy, a local resident said: “The drains are choked, but there is nobody to clean them. The garbage remains without being disposed off for several days making conditions ideal for breeding of mosquitoes.”

Centre for Environment and Cooperation and Research Development (CECRD), a Hyderabad-based agency, was supposed to take up solid waste management work in Balangir. It backed out of the project. Sources said the reason behind the agency’s withdrawal from the project was politics in the municipal council.

Harischandra Pradhan, another local resident, said: “CECRD had given the nod to go ahead with the solid waste management work from July 1. After its withdrawal, fresh tenders have been invited from interested parties, which would further delay the sanitation work. Most of the drains in the town are choked.”

However, Kindo said there was no need to panic at the moment. He added that as the patient was admitted to a private hospital in Burla where his blood sample was tested and then died without any treatment at Ispat General Hospital in Rourkela, there were no records of the cause of his death.

“So, we can’t entirely say that it was a case of dengue. Dengue cases can only be detected after a few days of fever. There is no need to panic,” Kindo said.