BHAGALPUR: It is an irony of sorts that dengue has assumed epidemic-like proportions in this district - the area of state health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey — with 232 out of 503 suspected cases of dengue being found positive so far. At present, 59 patients are being treated at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (JLNMCH) here. Majority of the cases have been reported from Sultanganj and Nathnagar localities besides other parts of the district. The health department has now initiated steps to create awareness about dengue and for sanitation and fogging to kill the carrier mosquitoes that breed in stagnant water. The department has constituted a medical team and made a survey of the affected areas besides providing emergency treatment to the patients. The symptoms of the disease include high fever, headache, severe muscle and joint pain, skin rashes etc. The ACMO and in charge civil surgeon, Bhagalpur, Dr S P Singh said, "So far 232 patients have been found dengue positive after examination and pathological tests." He said it appeared that the trend was downward now in view of the ongoing sanitation drive and fogging undertaken in most parts of Sultanganj. Meanwhile, the health department and district machinery is holding camps at various places to create awareness on dengue, malaria , Japanese encephalitis and other diseases that are caused by mosquito bites and the methods to prevent them. Official sources said in Sultanganj, the third round of fogging and sanitation work was going on. Fogging is also on in Nathnagar, Pirpainty, Kahalgaon and other parts of the district.