Medical and paramedical personnel have been camping in Kaundampatti village near Mannachanallur following complaint of outbreak of some mysterious fever in the village.
Sources said that a first few cases of the villagers developing symptoms of fever were first received on Monday and immediately medical teams have been sent to the village . However, panic gripped the residents on Wednesday, as few more persons developed joint pain and symptoms of fever.
“Though the exact cause of the outbreak is yet to be ascertained, the whole village is under our watch,” said I.Ravindran, Deputy Director of Health, who visited the village on Saturday.
Samples of serum collected from the villagers had been sent to K.A.P.Viswanatham Government Medical College and Hospital in Tiruchi for analysis. Water samples have also been sent.
A group of village health nurses conducted door-to-door survey in the village and ensured that no new case was reported since Friday. The paramedical personnel also conducted demonstration sessions to teach villagers a few tests to be conducted for ascertaining the quality of drinking water.
At least 19 men, 14 women, and four children were affected by body pain, clinically called myalgia . “It is not a serious illness; the joint pain will heal in a couple of days. In fact, most of the affected have experienced relief from pain in the last two days, said Dr.Ravindran.
Only two persons developed fever and were being treated at the Government Hospital in Manachanallur where they were showing good progress.
A round-the-clock vigil is being kept in the village. Doctors, staff nurses, village health nurses, and mobile medical teams have been deployed in the area.
T.P.Poonachi, State Minister for Khadi and Village Industries, visited the village in the morning and enquired about the treatment being given to the affected people.
