The Hindu : Mystery fever toll 16

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 01, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Mystery fever toll 16

By Our Staff Reporter

KARIMNAGAR JUNE 30. The death toll due to the mystery viral fever, suspected to be `enteroencephalitis', mounted to 16 with one more child succumbing in the Government Headquarters Hospital here on Monday.

The situation is grim in the district with several such mystery fever cases being reported. Almost all children's hospitals are flooded with patients suffering from the viral fever.

Out of a total of 28 children admitted in the Government Headquarters Hospital, 16 children died while undergoing treatment and the condition of two others is said to be critical. Four other cases have been referred to Hyderabad and six children were recovering slowly.

Doctors are puzzled as the sufferers have symptoms of Japanese encephalitis (brain fever). Brain fever does not break out during this season but children with symptoms of high fever, convulsions, vomiting, etc are succumbing within 24 hours. The doctors, who are awaiting reports from the Institute of Virology, suspect outbreak of `enteroencephalitis' as the fever is affecting the central nervous system.

On Monday, another team of experts from Hyderabad including the Director of Medical and Health Services, Srinivas Sharma, the paediatricians -- Radhakrishna and Ashok Kumar -- from Osmania hospital, Vikramjit Singh from Niloufer Hospital and Suresh from Fever hospital Hyderabad visited the hospital. They even rushed to the rural areas to study the reasons for the outbreak of the fever.

The Congress MLA, J Ratnakar Rao, the TDP MLA, K Devender Rao, and other leaders visited the hospital.

Talking to newsmen here, the Joint Collector, M Dana Kishore, said the expert team of doctors had arrived from Hyderabad and they were evaluating the cases. In the meantime, the administration had chalked out a programme to conduct a door-to-door survey in villages to treat all patients suffering from the viral fever.

He announced release of Rs. 5,000 to each major panchayat for taking up sanitation and anti-mosquito drive. Even the nodal team during the Janmbhoomi programme would conduct door-to-door survey and provide necessary medical assistance to the children suffering from viral fever, he added.

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Mystery fever toll 16