Bhubaneswar/Cuttack, Aug. 10: Three persons were tested positive with the dengue virus in the twin cities.

One Rajkishore Pradhan, 27, of OMP area is under treatment at S.C.B. Medical College and Hospital. In the capital city, while one case was reported from Pokhriput, another was detected at Chandrasekharpur.

The officials said there had been an increase in suspected dengue cases as patients from various parts of the state were coming to S.C.B. hospital and private hospitals in the twin cities.

“The medicine department has recorded a rise in the number of suspected dengue cases in the past couple of days with 20 to 25 patients being admitted here. However, only one patient from the city has been tested positive with the dengue virus,” said S.C.B. superintendent D.N. Moharana.

In another development, the district administration has also launched a cleanliness drive in association with the Cuttack Municipal Corporation to ensure that there is no dengue outbreak in the city.

The district collector today also reviewed the bush-cutting and other cleanliness operations that were being carried out in different parts of the city. Moreover, efforts are being initiated to sensitise people about the dengue and measures that should be adopted to protect themselves from the disease.

Special help desks would be set up at Badambadi bus stand, railway station, S.C.B. Medical College and Sishu Bhavan to assist people to know about the disease, what they should do and whom to consult for treatment.

Toll mounts to six

The health department has confirmed six dengue related deaths so far across the state. Four deaths occurred in Angul district where and one death was reported each from Dhenkanal and Balangir.

The department also asked all district collectors and chief district medical officers to take all precautionary measures. Till date, 63 blood samples out of 134 from Angul, the most-affected district, became positive.