Mystery disease keeps state guessing

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Patna, June 21:

The death toll resulting from the spread of the mysterious disease in Muzaffarpur has gone up to 24 today and the total number of children suffering from the disease has been ascertained at 66 in Bihar since the first case was reported on June 14. However, initial reports have been negative for encephalitis and health department would be bearing all medical expenses for the treatment of the patients hit by the disease, the health department said today.

Besides, individual intensive care unit has been put up at Sri Krishna Medical College Hospital (SKMCH) for treating the patients. Today, a team of National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune arrived in Patna to collect the culture samples from the affected children. The health department has also proposed establishment of a viral laboratory in the state. “The initial tests on blood samples collected by Rajendra Memorial Research Institute (RMRI) team from the children suffering from this disease have reported negative for encephalitis.
Last year, too, some deaths occurred during this period and samples were sent to NIV, Pune. While the initial reports indicated negative for encephalitis, however, the final finding could not be furnished because of some reservations expressed by NIV regarding collection of samples. Thus, this year NIV team itself has come for blood collection and the respective report is expected to be furnished within 190 days,” said Ashwini Kumar Choubey, state health minister.

The disease, which is still not given a name by the state health department, has spread in seven places in Muzaffarpur including Kanti, Sankara, Bochaha, Mushari, Pary, Meenapur and Kudhani. Children between the age- group of 8 and 14 years are prone to this disease. Total 42 patients have been admitted to Kejriwal maternity clinic till date, among which 10 children have died. Another 24 patients have been admitted to SKMCH wherein 12 among them could not survive. However, health department officials claimed that the admission of children suffering from this disease has come down lately.
The health department has issued some preventive measures to be adopted by the people in the affected regions. “Starting today, a team of antamology from RMRI and local civil surgeons of the affected regions have started marking the houses or villages, which have come with children suffering from this disease. Around 50 such houses would be fogged. DDT and melathinine would also be spread in the areas,” said Choubey.


Hattip RORO