Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Dec 15: This is not dengue, malaria or jaundice. The Health department has found traces of a new epidemic in the tribal district of Malkangiri where 14 children were reportedly afflicted recently. It is spreading its tentacles slowly.
The name, cause and source of the disease remains a mystery for health officials, veterinary experts and researchers as they have found that there is no record of such ailment anywhere in the world.
The initial observations suggested that the disease appears among children below five years of age. The symptoms are unusual. The patient initially vomits and becomes weaker and dies within 48 hours. At least 14 children out of 15 who showed symptoms of the disease have died and the doctors have succeeded in saving only one life.
“We suspect the cause of the deaths could be Japanese encephalitis, but after various tests, we concluded that this is not the cause. However, we are treating the patients considering it as a variant of encephalitis, an acute inflammation of the brain,” said Kailash Chandra Dash, director, Public Health.
According to sources, health experts have collected blood samples and cerebral spinal fluid for testing but could not find the source of the disease. The experts of Vector Control Research Centre (VCRC) at Koraput conducted various tests suspecting it to be a vector-borne malady, but have failed.
Recently the officials and scientists of animal husbandry department rushed to the site to explore the source of the virus but found that it did not originate from any animal.
Despite the rigorous efforts, the cause of the disease remains buried as the officials considerably failed to find out the source of the disease. Health experts here appealed for high-level research until it is too late.
On the other hand, the dilly-dallying by the state officials has panicked the people who are trying to explore the cause of the deaths of their children.
