Unknown disease kills nine in Jajarkot

JAJARKOT, APR 11: An unknown disease has claimed nine lives in Jajarkot in the past two weeks. Health workers, however, have not been able to identity the disease.

The disease that was first seen at Archhani VDC of the district two weeks ago has spread to neighbouring VDCs of Nayakwada, Paink, Sakla and Talegaun. The disease which is assuming the proportion of an epidemic has unleashed terror among locals.

Patients suffering from the unidentified illness complain of headache, chest pain, vomiting and fever.

Susmita Jaishi, 16, of Archhani VDC-3 was the first person to die of the disease a fortnight ago. Laxmi Rokaya of Paink-6 succumbed to death this morning, said Dhirjung Shah, Chief at District Public Health Office, adding, “The death toll due to the unknown disease has now reached nine.”

Shah informed that his office had dispatched teams of health workers equipped with adequate medicines to disease-hit VDCs. “Health workers are examining the patients at their homes. However, they have not been able to identify the disease yet,” Shah added.

According to an estimation of health workers, more than 200 people have already been infected with the disease. Most of the patients are either children or elderly, they said.

Shah said that they were preparing to send one critical patient from Paink to the district headquarters for treatment. Shah informed that stool, urine and sputum samples of patients would be sent to the capital for laboratory tests. “We will be able to confirm the disease once the reports are drawn from the laboratory,” Shah said.