With Japanese encephalitis assuming epidemic proportions in two blocks, Kalimela and Korukonda, of Malkangiri district, 15 children have died of the disease within a fortnight.
At least five children from each block have been afflicted with the disease and are undergoing treatment at different hospitals in the district.
“Children are suffering from fever, cough and, at times, vomiting. The disease has affected small children, and after three days they get weak,” said a patient’s relative at the District Headquarters Hospital here.
Out of 34 blood samples drawn from children and sent to the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), 15 have tested positive for the virus-caused ailment.
“We had informed the Government about the deaths. The Government has sent two specialists from Brahmapur and an equal number of staff nurses,” said Malkangiri ADMO Dr Sashi Bhusan Mahapatra.
The four-member medical team from the MKCG Medical College Hospital, Brahmapur is camping at the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) here and is treating patients. The team has claimed that there has been an improvement in the conditions of the patients admitted to the DHH.
Moreover, the district administration has intensified mosquito eradication and cleaning programmes in the affected areas to control the spread of the disease.
“They have undertaken some measures to curb mosquito menace in the areas, following which the disease has been controlled to some extent. No fresh admissions have been recorded in the hospital. Most of the patients who were admitted have been discharged after they got well. We will review the casualties,” informed Dr S Sanjib Patra, Assistant Professor MKCG Medical College and Hospital, who is a member of the medical team on visit to Malkangiri.