Patna, Aug 23 (IANS) The Bihar government issued a dengue alert Friday after over a dozen people were affected by the disease in Rohtas district, officials said.

Health officials have been directed to take preventive measures and provide proper treatment to dengue patients, said an official in the chief minister's office here.

A special dengue ward has been opened at the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), its superintendent Amarkant Jha Amar said.

"Civil Surgeons of 10 districts have been invited here to chalk out a strategy to check and control the spread of dengue in the state," he said.

He said 14 people have been admitted to PMCH Thursday night with dengue fever.

Pravesh Paswan, a district health official in Rohtas, said the situation was alarming.

Dengue cases have also been reported from Gaya, Nalanda, Patna, Buxar and Vaishali districts, a health official said.