Bhubaneswar: At least nine persons in Odisha’s Koraput and Malkangiri districts have lost their lives due to an ‘unknown’ disease in the last 10 days.
According to sources, three persons of Khandikiguda village in Boipariguda block of Koraput died due to the disease that is yet to be detected. A youth died on Friday while on his way to SLN Medical College and Hospital in Koraput while two others died last week.
On the symptoms of the patients, the villagers told the media that first their legs, hands and faces got swollen. Later, they became bedridden due to extreme weakness. After suffering for 15-20 days, they died, the villagers said.
The sources said due to a lack of education and awareness, the villagers were not availing medical treatment and instead resorting to superstitious practices.
Following the deaths, a medical team from Ramgiri reached Khandikiguda and after much persuasion admitted two patients to Ramgiri Hospital. The team is also promoting awareness about the seriousness of the situation and the need to get medically treated.
In Malkangiri district, six persons having similar complaints died in Haldikund and Bamanguda villages of Mathili block.
“The Medical Officer of Mathili CHC visited the villages and found that one villager had died of chronic kidney disease, while a 7-year-old child died of food poisoning. Three other deceased persons had chronic alcoholic cirrhosis. A medicine specialist and a microbiologist have been sent to the villages,” Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) of Malkangiri Sashi Bhusan Mahapatra told mediapersons.
Health officials of both districts have collected samples of some patients to ascertain the disease so that treatment could be initiated, said the sources.
