The West Singhbhum district health department is on the edge as at least 10 children and two adults have died of an ‘unknown’ disease in four different villages under Noamundi block in the last 15-20 days. The doctors are suspecting malaria.
A health team was sent to Gitikendu village which is 30 km away from the block headquarter Noamundi, to examine other sick people and assess the situation on the ground.
Health officials said that all the deaths were in different villages and tollahs in malaria-prone remote naxal violence-hit hilly and forested areas.
Dr. Narendra Kishor Sundi, In-charge of Noamundi Community Health Centre (CHC), on Monday said, “Three children have died in the village apart from four in Lupunga, two in Nuia and one in Pokhariya during the past 15-20 days. Most of them had high fever and our preliminary suspicion is that they might have died of malaria. We have found five sick people testing positive in Nuia village. The entire area is inside a deep forest and malaria has been prevalent in the area. Further investigation and action will be taken as per the guidance of the senior authorities,”
West Singhbhum Civil Surgeon Dr. Om Prakash Gupta said that this is not an epidemic or case of mass-infection as the four deaths in Lupunga village were reported from four different tollahs with some having high fever while some had acute loose motion and such symptoms. He added that the health officials are keeping a close eye on these villages and further investigation will determine the cause of deaths.
