Bhubaneswar, September 15: Incidents of cholera and diarrhoea were reported from 48 more villages in Orissa’s Rayagada district today even as state Health minister Prasanna Acharya claimed that the situation was “under control.”
The water borne disease has so far affected 1130 people, about 130 more than yesterday. 48 more villages came under its grip, taking the number of villages hit by cholera and diarrhoea to 240.
Though the state government claimed that 39 people had so far died of gastroenteritis in Rayagada district, unofficial sources claimed death toll reached 68.
The blocks under the grip of disease were Kashipur, Bisam Katak, Kalyansinghpur, Gudari, Kolnahara, Rayagada.
Both the Health minister and the department secretary undertook visit to several cholera affected area, sources said.
Additional government doctors and employees have been rushed and Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) deployed in Rayagada for taking patients to hospitals for treatment, official sources said.
–Agencies