With over 270 cases of dengue detected in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district within the last five days, preventive measures have been initiated against the ‘impending epidemic’, an official order said on Sunday.

All government and private schools and colleges falling under Diphu Municipal Board and Greater Diphu Town area will remain closed from Monday to Saturday, the order by the principal secretary, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, said.

A release by the National Health Mission (NHM), Assam, said that out of 285 dengue cases detected in the state between November 1 and 5, 271 were from Karbi Anglong district.

Of the remaining 14, Kamrup Metropolitan district reported eight cases. While two cases were registered in Nalbari, one each was found in Charaideo, Kamrup (Rural), Nagaon and Hojai.

The Mission Director, NHM-Assam, MS Lakshmi Priya, along with other officials, visited the affected areas in Karbi Anglong during the day to take stock of the situation and to provide support to the district team to control the outbreak.

“The situation in Karbi Anglong is under close watch and all preventive measures are being taken to combat the situation,” the NHM release said.

(Inputs from PTI)