India - 100 dead (mostly children) due to unknown disease in Tripura

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Unknown diseases kill 20 kids in Tripura

Re: Unknown diseases kill 20 kids in Tripura

Alert's post #6 ;

Death stalks tribal hamlets in North, 24 dead
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, Jun 26, 2010 : For the last fortnight death came calling in remote Kanchanpur subdivision in North Tripura every day. Malaria, pneumonia and malnutrition claimed at least 24 –mostly children- in four tribal hamlets West Kangrai, Boro Kangrai, Chuto Kangrai and Dhananjaypara inhabited by Reang tribesmen in the 15 days alone.

According to unofficial sources 41 had already died while local authorities admitted 24 deaths. However, Y P Singh, Principal Secretary in charge of Health Department, put the figure at 14.

The situation is turning worse and virtually taking an epidemic form. Health Minister Tapan Chakrabarty had already gone to Kanchanpur subdivision while Principal Secretary would leave for the affected area on Saturday.

“Situation is, indeed, bad and there were 14 deaths due to ‘acute respiratory problem’. Of them eight died at West Kangrai, three in Boro Kangrai, two in Chuto Kangrai and one in Dhananjaypara. Twenty two more are admitted in hospitals. Most of the dead and affected are children”, said Singh.

He would hold a high level meeting with District magistrate, Sub Divisional Magistrate, BDO, and officials from ICDS, DWS and other local authorities to review the situation.

Local alleged that health department district and sub divisional level failed to take appropriate and preventive steps to contain the situation though severe outbreak of malaria and other diseases were being reported to them regularly. So far only one health camp was organized at Kangrai on Thursday but evidently it was not all adequate to cope with the situation.

Now with too many dead bodies at hand the civil administration in general and health department in particular had woken up. Belated but desperate attempts were being made to arrest the situation.

While a medical team was sent to Kanchanpur from Kailasahar, North Tripura District headquarters, one more team comprising child specialist and micro biologists and led by joint director of Health department would leave for Kanchanpur on Saturday.

Sources said most of the 19 PHCs and 105 sub centres in North Tripura district are facing acute shortage of doctors and medical facilities.

Political leaders had also visited Kangrai during the last few days. Congress MLA Subal Bhoumik who visited the affected villages in a statement castigated the state government for its failure to take steps to contain the disease outbreak.

Meantime, reports from remote hilly region of Teliamura subdivision in West Tripura also depicted an alarming situation due to diarrhoea and water borne diseases. Two persons had already died in this region. In Teliamura hospital more than 90 patients suffering diarrhoea and malaria were admitted from tribal hamlets located at Atharamura and Baramura hill ranges. As most of the water sources got dried up in the last summer spell, villagers in the deep interior were forced to take contaminated and muddy water from cherra and other sources.
http://www.tripurainfo.in/Admin/ArchiveDet.aspx?WhatId=8951

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Unknown diseases kill 20 kids in Tripura

Re: Unknown diseases kill 20 kids in Tripura

Five more admitted in hospital Malaria, diarrhoea claim two lives at Mungiakami

Times News

Kanchanpur/Teliamura, Jun. 26: The mysterious disease continues to haunt the entire Khangrai village committee area as five more villagers were admitted to Kanchanpur subdivision with the same symptom today Worried Health Minister Tapan Chakraborty today visited Choto Khangrai and Bara Khangrai and faced the real dust of much-hyped development. Angry villagers handed over a memorandum containing of ten –point demands to the visiting Health Minister. The demands include, road connectivity from Choto Khangrai to Shuknacherra, Choto Khangai to Vangmun, providing more teachers to Khangrai SB School, more teeth to Khangrai Sub-Centre, electricity and proper arrangement of drinking water.It has been learnt that an amount of Rs. 6.12 lakh was sanctioned for construction of road from Choto Khangrai to Vangmun in 2009 through work order- 963 (97), 2010-01-09. But the road remains as same it was before 2009. It has been alleged that the allocation was spent for other purpose.Later, the Minister had a meeting with top officials of different departments at Kanchanpur Dak Bungalow and instructed them to do all necessary steps to meet the basic demands of the people.Even after the Minister’s visit, five villagers were admitted to Kanchanpur subdivision today. The condition of the admitted patients is stated to be critical. The medical team, which had collected blood sample from the ailing villages, has not identified the actual cause of death. It may be noted that at least 50 villagers died of mysterious disease at Choto Khangrai and Bara Khangrai since June 13.Panic gripped the entire Atharamura Hill range following death of two tribal villagers at Bilaihampara under Mungiakami block in Teliamura subdivision. At least 25 villagers of Bilaihampara were admitted in Teliamura Hospital due to outbreak of malaria and gastro enteritis. The effected villages include Tuikarma, 36 Mile, 47 Mile, Nunacherra, Hajrapara and Atharamura.The poor medical infrastructure at Teliamura hospital has exposed once again as a number of ailing people were laid in the floor due to shortage of beds. The congested situation in the hospital may turn into nightmare for the relatives of the patients. BDO of Mugiakami block Md Hafiz Uddin has given financial assistance of Rs. 250 each ailing person admitted in the hospital. Besides, they were exhorted to procure medicines from Paul Medical whenever physicians prescribe to them and the block authority will pay the money.Surprisingly, the SDM and SDMO remained mute spectator even after outbreak of the malaria and diarrhoea in some tribal hamlets under Teliamura subdivision. In a press release, the government tonight said that the Health Minister has visited the affected tribal hamlets and asked the authority concerned to do all possible steps to prevent the mysterious disease. A special sub-centre will be set up at Kangrai to offer medical aids to the villagers. Special arrangement will be made to supply water through tankers to mitigate the drinking water scarcity.

http://www.tripuratimes.com/leadnews/lead1_270610.html

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Unknown diseases kill 20 kids in Tripura

Re: Unknown diseases kill 20 kids in Tripura

Epidemic at Kangrai :​

Ratan wants resignation of Health Minister26 dead, 59 mor hospitalized​

​

Kangrai (Kanchanpur), June 27: Kangrai, a village housing 399 Reang families in Kanchanpur sub-division, has become synonymous to death these days as death trail from a mysterious pandemic continues since the past 1 month and the state government stands flummoxed about their role. Quack treatment and unidentified disease poises major threat perception to the patients with the health care officials totally at a loss.



Death toll count from mysterious disease continues to escalate at Kangrai Village under Kanchanpur sub-division as patients keep flocking in the sub-divisional hospital infected by the unidentified pandemic after 26 have already died during the past 4 weeks. “My infant daughter has died without any treatment. My husband has died from the same illness. My only son is now admitted at the hospital from the same disease. We are poor people babu! Where can we get the money to get admitted in hospital?” laments Pancholi Reang (30), resident of the Kangrai village. Her husband Sinbahadur Reang had died in the epidemic that has started framing since the last week of May. Her daughter Romila Reang (2) has also followed the same trail and now her son Purnajoy Reang (8) is on the list.“They didn’t organize a single health camp during the past one year. No doctors visited our village. Our children have died in vain. Even we don’t have a safe drinking water outlet”, says Lalmoni Reang (20),another resident of Kangrai whose one and a half year old daughter Khumsauti Reang fell victim to the unknown disease on June 03. The incidents in the case of Jerki Reang (13 months), Rosmeha Reang (11 months), Udairoy Reang (16 months) et al are also the same. A team of journos visited Kangrai Village today to ascertain the facts and figures of human casualties. It has been learnt during the visit that as many as 26 people, most of whom are infants, have died one after another starting from June 01, 2010. The catch of the game is that the sub-divisional health care system has been totally unaware of the total fact until June 19 as informed by Dr. Subrata Dey, Sub-divisional Medical Officer. The disease has spread like conflagration within a short period of 2 and half weeks across Boro Kangrai, Choto Kangrai, South Kangrai, North Kangrai and West Kangrai and Dhananjoybari housing 399 Reang families. It has been affirmed by the SDMO that the infants who fell victim to the disease were suffering from acute mal-nutrition. ‘This disease can be probably attributed to respiratory complicacy caused due to viral infection. The infants were suffering from mal-nutrition and that made some them highly exposed to the threat”, said he. The Sub-divisional Hospital has maintained a totally silent stand on the entire issue until the only son of Mr. Binanda Reang, Vice Chairman of the Kangrai village council, died from the pandemic. “They rushed in the village with doctors, Asha workers, started conducting health camps etc. Our children have died as well. Don’t they bear any importance to the government? Why have our children been subjected to death without treatment?” cries Darasen Reang, whose 11 month old child Sasraha Reang died last week.The Kanchanpur Sub-divisional Hospital hasn’t got any of the necessary count of nurses, medical officers, specialists et al to tackle the situation. “We are simply applying anti-biotics on the patients who have got themselves admitted here. As a matter of fact, the disease hasn’t been identified yet”, says the SDMO. It’s ridiculous indeed to witness how quack medication is running rife at the government health care outlet, even after Health Minister Tapan Chakraborty visited the village today alongwith top brass of administration.Kanchanpur Sub-divisional Hospital has got only one specialist doctor, that too from ENT cell.There is no specialist from Child cell, Gynaecology cell, Orthopedics cell et al. The hospital authorities couldn’t even specify the number of staff nurses working in the hospital. The result is also very explicit.“My daughter was almost okay after she suffered for 14 days at home. She was admitted at the hospital and they gave her two injections. She seemed to handle the first injection but the second injection pushed her to death”, says Birendra Reang (name changed) whose daughter died after being admitted at the hospital. There are several more instances of such deaths which have been alleged to be the outcome of wrong treatment. There are even instances of selling blood on front of the Kanchanpur Hospital at the rate of Rs. 100 per bag which is again divided into two for two separate patients. Birendra Reang alleged that he was compelled to buy half bag of blood from the hospital for Rs. 50 on the day before his daughter died. The facts that have been exposed about the wrong treatment in the hospital have incited a trail of discontent among the public. CLP leader Ratan Lal Nath visited the area today itself. He has even met the SDM, BDO and doctors of the hospital this evening. After having detailed discussions on the issue, he has termed the entire incident to be the result of the failure of the government. “This is a deliberate result of the government’s failure in providing due health care facilities. The Health Minister should resign for this immediately”, said he. He has also demanded that the Health ministry should be given to somebody capable to hold the portfolio.

http://tripuratimes.com/leadnews/lead1_280610.html

 

[alert]

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

http://www.tripuratoday.com/ttday/NDetails.aspx?ID=971

Dateline Kangrai : No trace of administration

Samrat Chowdhury
Kanchanpur, 28/06/2010
Scarcity of pure drinking water is the main problem of Kangrai people. There is no proper drinking system across the six villages under Kangari ADC village council that is in the limelight following the death of several tribals in the wake of outbreak of deadly diseases. In fact there no real source of pure drinking water here. But the government record shows that there are 17 deep tube wells in the six villages. And the only source of water for the tribals is the tributary of river Deo. We drink water from this stream, said one local Lalmoni Riang. Up to Monday 26 people died in this remote tribal hamlet. The main cause of the fever is yet to be detected. State health department has at last stepped in to collect the blood samples.

Medical officers assumed that it may be a virus infection. Malnutrition is another problem among the children. This also causes the death of the children. Only sources of income of that six villager people is only the sifting cultivation and now a days the MNREGA work. But the MNREGE scheme is not properly implemented, complained some villagers. From last three month they worked only six days under MNREGA project. Poverty and scarcity of pure drinking water is the main cause of the recent death chain. Administration has no role whatsoever in the six villages. There is no road network, no electricity no health facilities. In last one year one health camp was organized in the six villages. MPW and ASHA worker never seen in this six villages in last one year.

 

[alert]

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Of some note is that Sharon's post #23 contains (among other victims) the names and ages of five dead children under age 12. Treyfish's post #13 contains the original 14 names and ages.

There is no intersection in the two lists at all (even allowing for slight variations), which suggests that we are still getting bad information.

 

[Vibrant62]

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Or the other explanation that all name reporting is accurate, and that the number of deaths are higher than is being officially admitted. Authorities may be fearful of panic, and the official numbers could be downplayed.

Either way, the information is not wholly accurate, but whether it is being exagerated through poor reporting or minimised to allay panic reactions amongst local populations is hard to say.

 

[alert]

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20100629/1536814.html

ARI claims 24 lives in Tripura
Agartala | Tuesday, Jun 29 2010 IST




At least 24 people have lost their lives since the past fortnight following sudden spread of acute respiratory infection (ARI) in remote Kangrai hamlet under North Tripura along Tripura-Mizoram border.

Health Minister Tapan Chakraborty said according to hospital records, 24 people had died so far and 50 others were admitted with ARI complications, adding that there was a possibility of few more unrecorded deaths outside the hospital. Unofficial reports said 28 people, including 17 children, had died.

The minister said initial investigation revealed that the deaths occurred due to failure of the health officials to contain the disease in the area and village panchayats were also to be blamed for their careless attitude.

''We are giving our best efforts to control the situation and we have launched investigation into the cause of spread of the disease and all the accused authorities will be dealt with as per law,'' Mr Chakraborty said.

Leader of the opposition Ratan Lal Nath, who visited the affected area, meanwhile, alleged that treatment was being provided by quack doctors and the unidentified disease was posing to be a major threat to the patients with the health care officials totally at a loss. ''They did not organise a single health camp during the past one year in the area and no doctors visited the village,'' he complained, adding that the villagers fell victim to the disease as they had been suffering from malnutrition, which aggravated the respiratory complications. Mr Nath underlined that the only source of income of the villagers was shifting cultivation and the MGNREGA work but the scheme had not been properly implemented. During the past three months they worked only for six days under MGNREGA, he added.

 

[alert]

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

http://www.tripuratimes.com/leadnews/lead1_290610.html



Health Minister holds meeting with officials

Kangrai incident to rock Assembly today

Times News



Agartala, Jun. 29: After a brief recess, Budget session of the Assembly will begin tomorrow. The remaining three days of the session will be stormy with opposition Congress planning to pile heat on Health and Family Welfare Minister Tapan Chakraborty for his alleged failure to check the deaths of tribal villagers at Kangrai in Kanchanpur subdivision. Congress legislators have already discussed the issue threadbare and prepared their strategy. Alarmed by the epidemic like situation at Kangrai, Health Minister and Principal Secretary YP Singh had already visited the spot and instructed the authority to do all possible steps to check the outbreak of mysterious disease. A special sub centre was set up at Kangrai to provide medical assistance to the ailing people. While Congress MLA Subal Bhowmik visited the ill-fated village on June 23, Opposition leader Ratan Lal Nath inspected Kangrai yesterday to know the ground reality. Mr. Nath has already demanded resignation of Health Minister for his alleged failure to check the outbreak of the mysterious disease.The outbreak of mysterious disease that has so far claimed 26 lives has pushed the government in an awaked situation keeping in view of the Assembly session. The deaths of mysterious disease have exposed the poor health service in the rural areas like Kangrai. Sources said, the treasury bench has also envisaged strategy on how the tackle the opposition members in the Assembly tomorrow.It has been learnt that Health Minister held a meeting with senior Health department officials where he was briefed about the steps taken by the department to tackle the situation.The steps include setting up of a special sub-centre, engagement of a paediatrician at Kanchanpur hospital and house to house surveillance in the entire subdivision. The government today formally informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare about the outbreak of Respiratory Tract Infection (RTI) at Kangrai in Kanchanpur subdivision. The outbreak of RTI has claimed 14 lives, according to an official of Health department.

 

[alert]

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

http://afludiary.blogspot.com/2010/06/tripura-follow-up.html

Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Tripura Follow Up


# 4681


We?ve a little more information this morning about the events in Tripura, India where 20 or more people have recently died from a `mysterious illness? (see Newshounds Watching Tripura).

According to a news report today, Tripura?s Health Minister Tapan Chakraborty is describing this as an ARI (Acute Respiratory Infection), and giving the number of deaths as approximately 24 (with 17 of them children).

The cause of the respiratory infection isn?t stated, although an investigation is promised.

For now, the debate seems to have centered around political infighting and affixing blame for the spread of the illness.

Which leaves us ? for the time being - not knowing whether this outbreak is due to a pneumonia, an influenza, or perhaps some other respiratory pathogen (RSV, Parainfluenza, metapneumovirus, etc.).

These reports come via Alert on FluTrackers.

ARI claims 24 lives in Tripura


Agartala | Tuesday, Jun 29 2010 IST


At least 24 people have lost their lives since the past fortnight following sudden spread of acute respiratory infection (ARI) in remote Kangrai hamlet under North Tripura along Tripura-Mizoram border.



Health Minister Tapan Chakraborty said according to hospital records, 24 people had died so far and 50 others were admitted with ARI complications, adding that there was a possibility of few more unrecorded deaths outside the hospital. Unofficial reports said 28 people, including 17 children, had died.



The minister said initial investigation revealed that the deaths occurred due to failure of the health officials to contain the disease in the area and village panchayats were also to be blamed for their careless attitude.



''We are giving our best efforts to control the situation and we have launched investigation into the cause of spread of the disease and all the accused authorities will be dealt with as per law,'' Mr Chakraborty said.




(Continue . . .)



And this from the Tripura Times.



Health Minister holds meeting with officials
Kangrai incident to rock Assembly today
Times News

(EXCERPT)


Mr. Nath has already demanded resignation of Health Minister for his alleged failure to check the outbreak of the mysterious disease.The outbreak of mysterious disease that has so far claimed 26 lives has pushed the government in an awaked situation keeping in view of the Assembly session.



The deaths of mysterious disease have exposed the poor health service in the rural areas like Kangrai. Sources said, the treasury bench has also envisaged strategy on how the tackle the opposition members in the Assembly tomorrow.It has been learnt that Health Minister held a meeting with senior Health department officials where he was briefed about the steps taken by the department to tackle the situation.The steps include setting up of a special sub-centre, engagement of a paediatrician at Kanchanpur hospital and house to house surveillance in the entire subdivision.



The government today formally informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare about the outbreak of Respiratory Tract Infection (RTI) at Kangrai in Kanchanpur subdivision. The outbreak of RTI has claimed 14 lives, according to an official of Health department.



Obviously, we?ll watch with interest to see what is determined to be the infectious agent in this case.

Posted by Michael Coston at 6:51 AM

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

24 died of mystery disease: Minister
Tripura House session

From Our Correspondent


Agartala: Altogether 24 tribal villagers died of Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) at Kangrai in North Tripura district since June 13, the Assembly was informed here on Tuesday.

Health Minister Tapan Chakraborty while informing the House on the latest position aftermath of the mysterious disease outbreak at Kangrai, one of the distress pockets in Kanchanpur subdivision termed the death of 24 villagers as most unfortunate.

As many as 156 patients mostly from Kangrai village were admitted in Kanchanpur subdivision during the period. He said that the department has taken all possible steps to arrest the outbreak of deadly disease.

"Rapid Response Teams from Agartala Medical College have been working hard to control the ARI and one senior Paediatrician has been deputed at Kanchanpur hospital to take care of the ailing children", he said.

Chakraborty, who visited the ill-fated village on June 25, informed that ASHA workers and MPWs did not inform the SDMO over the outbreak of the deadly disease. He also claimed that the situation is now under control. Congress MLA Subal Bhowmik who visited Kangrai on June 23, blamed the SDM and SDMO for not taking proper steps to prevent the outbreak of ARI.

He pointed out that malnutrition might be the main cause of the death due to the deadly disease.

In reply, the Minister said that he had spoken to the family members of the victims at Kangrai. "I had personally asked them why they did not take the ailing person or children to the nearby hospital but they did not respond", he said.

Opposition leader Ratan Lal Nath, Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman and Gopal also criticized the Minister for his failure to check the outbreak of ARI. He wanted to know that why not a single employee or official of Primitive Group Programme (PGP) department did not visit the Kangrai, where 299 Reang people reside. The PGP department was floated to uplift the socio-economic condition of Reang community.

Seeking resignation of the Health Minister owing the death of 24 tribal villagers mostly children, Mr. Nath wants a joint investigation into the entire incident.

In reply Chakraborty said, "Whenever time comes, I will step down". He further made it clear that nobody would be spared if laxity is found leading to the death of 24 villagers.

http://www.theshillongtimes.com/

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

-snip-
On the latest death of 28 tribals in remote Kangrai hamlet under North Tripura along Tripura-Mizoram border following sudden spread of acute respiratory infection (ARI), the opposition leader alleged that Health Minster Tapan Chakraborty suppressed facts. Quoting the report of the District Magistrate he stated that the deaths occurred due to malnutrition and water contamination, but the minister misquoted the report and said 24 people had died.-snip-
http://cong-i.blogspot.com/2010/06/congress-accuses-tripura-lf-of.html

 

[alert]

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100701/jsp/northeast/story_12628767.jsp

Reang deaths
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Agartala, June 30: The alleged deaths of more than 46 people, including children, in Kangrai village of North Tripura today rocked the second phase of the Assembly?s budget session with the Opposition Congress demanding health minister Tapan Chakraborty?s resignation.

A report by the district magistrate of North Tripura, Soumya Gupta, to the principal secretary of health department, Yashpal Singh, has added fuel to the fire. Gupta admitted that the administration, especially its health services had little presence in Kangrai, 16km from subdivisional headquarters Kanchanpur. Chakraborty made a statement today ? a day after the issue was raised ? claiming that 24 people had died of malaria, breathing problem, measles and diarrhoea over a fortnight. The victims belong to the Reang community.

 

[alert]

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

I can't get the text here to copy and paste, but this is a very different perspective on this outbreak, claiming 18 of the 24 deaths were 3-4 years old, spreading the outbreak back all the way to January, and adding whooping cough (which would be an ARI, and explain the predominance of illness in children) and rickets to the diagnoses already given. It also claims that 12 of the deaths occurred between June 1st and 15th.

http://www.tripurainfo.in/News/ArchiveDet.aspx?WhatId=8955

24 dead : Govt draws flak for adm failures at local level
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, Jun 30, 2010 : Death of 24 - mostly children -in remote parts of Kanchanpur sub division of North Tripura district brought to fore serious shortcomings of development and monitoring initiatives in remote tribal areas.

Recently 24 persons died of malaria and malnutrition in the Reang tribal village Kangrai. There are total 399 Reang families in the village.

The issue rocked the state assembly on Tuesday.

Following the reports of the death health minister Tapan Chakrabarty and Principal Secretary YP Singh visited the area and held high power meeting.

Chakrabarty admitted that there was negligence on the part of a section of government functionaries at village level but he denied that cause of death was of malnutrition. The first death was reported in January but the official report came to administrative authorities on June 23 last. He said all steps were taken to arrest the situation. The opposition was however not satisfied and the opposition armed with District Magistrate’s report –that detailed failure on the part of the concerned authorities at the subdivisional level -demanded resignation of the health minister. They also staged a walk out.

The North Tripura DM Soumya Gupta also filed a report to the higher authorities where she pointed out lacunae in delivering proper health care, pure drinking water facilities as well as government sponsored nutrition programmes.

Sources said, the DM’s report pointed out that out of 24 dead 18 were children of three to four years of age. The report was categorical about the visible gap in official communications between the local level officials of the MPW, MPS, Anganwadi, ICDS and subdivisional authorities. Kanchanpur Subdivisional Medical Officer held a monthly meeting on June 16 but till then he was not informed of any death, though by this time –from June 1 to June 15 as many as 12 persons had died. If this was not enough, the CDPO did not have any data about the children in these villages. Despite reports of malnutrition among the children the CDPO did not increase the ration for them-power for which was envisaged on him.

The DM in her report said she had found almost 90 percent of the children in the affected areas were suffering from malnutrition and they were suffering from whooping cough, rickets, measles etc. Anganwadi workers did neither take any step nor referred them for treatment. There was also scarcity of pure drinking water and absence of road communication.

“The DM’s report made it clear that at village level health care service and social welfare activities had not only collapsed but also the concerned officials’ role was absolutely irresponsible for the unfortunate deaths”, alleged Ratan Lal Nath, opposition leader in the assembly.

He demanded that the DM’s report be placed in the House.

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Post #5 above has a similar mix of diseases and a timeline of 6 months for 25 fatalities, but a shorter time frame of 10 days for the death of 16 children (to June 25th).

 

[alert]

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura - possible whooping cough

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura - possible whooping cough

Excellent catch, RoRo. I missed that in that post because the writer called it "hoping" cough instead of "whooping". But that is increasingly looking like the accurate picture. It is conceivable that when the villagers were hit by a whooping cough outbreak they couldn't diagnose, they included every illness from the past six months in their report.

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

ARI epidemic intensifies, twenty more hospitalized

Pandemic climbs from infants to age people

Times News



Kanchanpur,1st July: ARI pandemic situation has bared teeth at Kanchanpur sub-division as the epidemic has spread to several others Reang hamlets of the area in terrible vigour. As many as 20 people have got admitted at Kanchanpur Sub-divisional Hospital in semi-critical condition today itself. Meanwhile, the hospital hasn?t yet found out any sort of treatment for the disease outbreak. Experiments in the name of treatment is being carried out and all patients are getting is antibiotic. Hence, the disease can be controlled.Local sources informed that 15 persons from Boro Kangrai, Choto Kangrai, Dhananjoybari have got admitted at the hospital. The catch is that the affected persons of the disease outbreak now are from the aged section as well. According to medical experts, this indicates further worsening of the situation since earlier, only infants and children were attacked by the mystery disease which has been later termed by the state Health Department as Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI). But the condition now is quite different with a huge bulk of aged people, some even belonging to the forties, have got admitted in hospital which indicates strengthening of the epidemic in comparison to the normal body immunity of these inhabitants.The people who got admitted from Kangrai village are Dhaniram Reang (22), resident of West Kangrai, Rekhabari Reang (24), resident of Dhananjoybari, Joyabati Reang (01), resident of Colony no. 1, Biplab Kumar Reang (28 months), resident of the Colony no. 1, Manjita Reang (18 months), resident of the Colony no. 1, Sandhyarung Reang (06), resident of Boro Kangrai, Khumpuiti Reang (10), resident of Boro Kangrai, Chuisangrai Reang (06), resident of Boro Kangrai, Brikkhorai Reang (04), resident of Boro Kangrai, Ambika Reang (01), resident of Boro Kangrai, Nibharam Reang (19), resident of Dhananjoybari, Likindra Reang (27), resident of West Kangrai, Rajendra Reang (42), resident of West Kangrai and Naduram Reang (06), resident of Choto Kangrai.On the other hand, the pandemic has also spread its paws on the adjacent villages with apt desperateness as 5 persons from Chandipur village have got admitted alongwith the rest in a single day. Santu Rai Rang (01), resident of Khachiraipara; Sajanbati Reang (02), resident of Birsaipara; Bidyadhari Reang (01), resident of Mitrajoy Reang, Jaliroy Reang (20) and Bikash Reang (14) have got admitted at Kanchanpur Sub-divisional Hospital this afternoon. According to local sources, the epidemic is worsening very rapidly at the Choto Kangrai area mainly due to the mysterious stoppage of drinking water supply in the locality. DWS has stopped the drinking water supply in the area all of a sudden and the inhabitants of the area have to again get dependent on the contaminated water of Tuisacherra. Hence, the situation is escalating faster than ever and aged persons are also getting affected alongwith the children.It has also been learnt that the financial aid of Rs. 500 that was promised by the Health Minister Mr. Tapan Chakraborty during his visit at the village few day back, has been suddenly stopped as well. Irregularities have already been started with the funds allocated for the dying people as well. It is apprehended that the epidemic condition will further escalate in the next few days and the situation seems to be getting out of grip.

http://tripuratimes.com/leadnews/lead2_10710.html

 

[alert]

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Perhaps they need to send samples to the NIV in Pune, or even abroad to the US CDC. It is obvious that the facilities to test for anything just don't exist in that area.

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

"..It is apprehended that the epidemic condition will further escalate in the next few days and the situation seems to be getting out of grip..."

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

It's not out of the question that there's an H1N1 component to this. Both Bangladesh and Bhutan, Bordering NE India are registering as 'Geographical spread:Regional' on the latest WHO report.
http://www.searo.who.int/EN/Section10/Section2562.htm

There's been no confirmed cases from Mizoram or Assam, but there was significant underreporting of cases from both of these neighboring states last year. Tripura is yet to report a single confirmed case of H1N1
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=111798&page=10

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Re: India - 24 -26 dead (mostly children), 59 hospitalized due to unknown disease in Tripura

Current weather in Tripura: Highs in the upper 80s, Lows in the upper 70s. 90% humidity, thunderstorms forecast for the next week or so.
http://weather.yahoo.com/india/tripura/agartala-2294951/