Two students of the Ashram School at Kolaganda village under Podia block in Malkangiri district have died of a mysterious disease in past two days.
While the unidentified disease claimed lives of the two students, six others are undergoing treatment in hospitals in the district.
The two students had swelling in their legs, following which they were admitted to the Podia Community Health Centre (CHC) for treatment. After their conditions deteriorated, the headmaster of the school decided to send one of them to his home, where he died on August 28.
On August 29 evening, another student hospitalised for the unknown disease succumbed at the hospital during treatment.
Meanwhile, six more students of the school have suffered from the mysterious disease with similar symptoms. While three of them are under treatment at the Podia CHC, remaining three students were referred to the Malkangiri District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) after their conditions worsened.
After the incident came into light, the Malkangiri ADM, block administration and health officials visited the school to take stock of the situation. The district administration decided to relocate all students to other schools and ordered for sanitisation of classrooms, hostel rooms and school premises.