Malaria toll continues to rise in Tripura with at least 67 people having died from the disease and many stricken ill within a month, Tripura Health and Family Welfare Minister Badal Choudhury said here Sunday.
“At least 67 people, including 55 children, have died and over 171,200 have fallen ill during the past one month,” he told reporters.
He said: “Of the fever–affected people, malaria infection was found in the blood of over 29,600 people. Our efforts are on to check the disease.”
The Minister said of the 67 dead, 35 died in government hospitals and the remaining in their homes.
Mr. Choudhury said the Border Security Force and Tripura State Rifles personnel had fanned out in remote and tribal–inhabited operational areas to help sick people.
A helicopter had been pressed into service to ferry doctors and patients in case of emergency.
“We have brought a large number of patients to hospitals from remote areas and sent them home after treatment,” the Minister said, adding food and medicines were being given to people recuperating in hospitals.