Mysterious fever strikes Sivaganga village, 2 dead

MADURAI: Mysterious fever reportedly claimed the lives of two people, including a teenaged girl belonging to a village in Sivaganga district following which the director of public health, Dr K Kulandaisamy conducted an inspection to find out the exact cause.
Many villagers from Kirungakottai village near Singampunari in Sivaganga district are reported to be affected by the mysterious fever and are being treated in various hospitals including the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai.
Health workers from Sivaganga district have camped in the village following instructions from the collector and have been monitoring the patients for nearly a month now.
Meanwhile, one of the sick patients Pandeeswari, 15, daughter of Murugesan who was admitted to the GRH succumbed two days ago. Similarly, a construction worker from Kirungakottai Oyyammal, 55, is also said to have died due to fever.
Health workers are monitoring the situation closely and also visiting the houses in the neighbouring panchayats of Piranmalai, Annaikaraipatti, Madurapuri and three others on a daily basis.
Meanwhile, Kulandaisamy visited the village and conducted a door-to-door inspection on Sunday.
According to Kulandaisamy, the fever prevailing in the region was suspected to be a mixed infection and comprehensive control measures, including water borne, food borne and vector borne disease control measures had been initiated in the village and surrounding regions. "The main reason seems to be poor sanitation in the region," he said. Out of the two victims who have died so far the elderly woman was said to have died due to septicaemia while the girl of fever.
So far, about 15 cases had been identified in the village including sporadic incidents in neighbouring villages, which were being identified by the health workers who were maintaining fever diaries and treating the sick patients for fever and diarrhoea. Blood samples had been obtained and submitted for lab testing the results of which were awaited, to determine the nature of the disease, he added.