Patna, Sep 11 (IANS): With 134 new dengue cases in the last 24 hours, Bihar's overall caseload has increased to 675 so far this year, with Patna and Bhagalpur emerging as the hotspots.

While Bhagalpur has 300 active cases, Patna has reported 298.

In view of the rising cases, the state health department has issued an advisory in all the 38 districts of Bihar.

Of the 134 new cases registered on Sunday, 21 were reported in Bhagalpur, including a sub-inspector rank officer of the Tilka Majhi Bhagalpur University police station.

The district administration of Bhagalpur has set up a dedicated ward comprising 100 beds at the JLN Medical College and Hospital, Mayaganj, for the dengue infected patients.

Currently, 74 patients are admitted inthe Mayaganj hospital.

Meanwhile, the Patna district administration has constituted a call centre and also issued helpline numbers for dengue patients.

The health department has also asked hospitals for the arrangement of platelets in IGIMS blood bank, Prathama blood bank Sahuna Mor, Maa blood bank, PMCH blood bank and other places.

The authority has also appealed to the people to donate blood.