Malkangiri: Two more children died of Japanese encephalitis at the district headquarters hospital here, taking the toll to 21 in a span of 20 days.
The deceased were identified as Jhansi Takiri (3) of Tekguda and Jayanti Kabasi (3) of Kalimela. The children succumbed to the vector-borne disease while undergoing treatment at the DHH.
The district administration and the health department seem to have failed to check the outbreak as the number of cases is increasing every day, it was learnt.
It is alleged that the state health department have not done anything beyond deputing a medical team and an expert to the DHH.
So far, no political leaders have visited the villages which have reported casualties, while the DHH is yet to be visited by a medical team having expertise in curbing the menace, locals said.
Moreover, Dr TV Kumar, a doctor from MKCG Medical College and Hospital who came to the DHH, has reportedly said that the survival chance of Japanese encephalitis is just 20 per cent, thereby sparking panic among residents. There is no effective medicine available to cure the disease, he is reported to have said.
Meanwhile, district collector K Sudarshan Chakraborty and other district health officials visited the affected villages to take stock of the situation. They spoke to villagers over the deaths and emphasised on improving the sanitation of the village.
Following his visit, the administration pressed five tractors and an earthmoving machine into service to fill up the ditches. Besides, efforts were on to set up an enclosure for the domestic animals like pigs and ducks on the village outskirts.
Collector Chakraborty said the administration is doing its best to check the spread of the disease. PNN
