Jaundice cases on the rise in Odisha: Official

Jaundice is fast spreading in Odisha with over 90 cases detected across the state in the past week, forcing authorities to step up preventive measures, a health official said Thursday.

After Sambalpur city, jaundice is now fast spreading in Bhubaneswar's twin city Cuttack, the official said.

"We are taking preventive steps to arrest jaundice, which has spread in the city due to water contamination. Heath workers and doctors have been engaged to take blood samples and provide medicines in the affected areas," said public health director Kailash Dash.

He said a state-level team led by the joint secretary has been pressed to take stock of the situation Thursday.

Besides, activists from voluntary organisations and staff of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) are distributing leaflets with information about the disease and Halogen tablets to localities in the city.

Also, Odisha has reported its second swine flu death this year. An employee of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in Koraput district died Wednesday due to the dreaded disease, said Dash.