Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081015/jsp/calcutta/story_9968383.jsp

Mystery fever strikes 300
- Symptoms different from chikungunya and dengue

Over 300 people in Budge Budge and Bishnupur, on the city?s southern fringes, are suffering from a ?mystery? fever that has reportedly claimed two lives since Sunday.

South 24-Parganas health authorities have confirmed chikungunya and dengue cases in the area but the symptoms of some of the ailing residents are atypical of both diseases.

Residents of six blocks, including Mograhat, Falta and Joynagar, have tested positive for chikungunya. ?We have been receiving complaints of fever from before Puja. Four patients out of 39 in Bishnupur and Budge Budge Block II were found to have chikungunya,? said Sachchidananda Sarkar, the chief medical officer (health) of the district.

According to his department, Budge Budge-resident Himadri Adhikari died at the Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences after suffering dengue shock on Sunday. His family members, however, said several blood tests had not revealed the presence of dengue virus in his blood.

?Nobody could tell us what Himadri was suffering from. He had high fever and was throwing up since October 2,? said Himadri?s brother Supriyo.

Gautam Das, who lives 100 m from the Adhikaris? house, was admitted to NRS Hospital on Tuesday morning with the same symptoms. ?We will receive his blood test report on Wednesday,? said his brother.

The death of 12-year-old Palash Sardar, a resident of Umedhpur in Nowdakhali, on the way to National Medical College and Hospital on Monday night has added to the ?mystery fever? scare.

?The boy didn?t show symptoms of chikungunya. He died before the blood test report arrived,? said a doctor in the medical unit treating patients in the affected zones.

District medical officials claimed Palash complained of breathlessness and suffered fits on Sunday. He was shifted on Monday from a local hospital to Vidyasagar Hospital in Behala, where doctors referred him to National Medical College.

Dengue death: Sandip Chandra, a city engineering student, died of dengue in a nursing home on Tuesday, said his relatives. Government and civic authorities are yet to confirm that he had suffered from dengue.
A STAFF REPORTER

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

Source: http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=22&theme=&usrsess=1&id=227041

Unknown disease spreads to Budge Budge, Bishnupur

Statesman News Service
BUDGE BUDGE, Oct. 15: The unknown disease that has affected three villages in Santgachia has now spread to adjoining villages in Budge Budge and Bishnupur, South 24-Parganas.
The district health department said another person identified as Himadri Adhikary (32), a residence of Budge Budge, has died from the disease. He was admitted to Muchisa Hospital at first and later shifted to a private hospital in Kolkata. He was declared dead on Monday at the hospital. School of Tropical Medicine (STM) doctors told The Statesman that they found dengue virus and chikungunya in the blood samples of the patient.
The institution criticised the district administration for failing to create an entomological map of the district. The STM has alerted the district administration that the disease is gradually spreading to all blocks of Budge Budge and Bishnupur. To prevent the spread of the disease, the district administration has taken some some steps including conducting awareness programmes and distributing insecticides among villagers. But, the effort is not sufficient for disease-hit areas as the workers of Budge Budge municipality and neighbouring gram panchayats do not have enough training.
Dr Sachhidananda Sarkar, the CMOH of South 24-Parganas said the district heath officials are facing difficulties to contain the spread of the disease as there is no pathological laboratory in most of the district hospitals. He said efforts were underway to control the situation.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081017/jsp/calcutta/story_9978858.jsp

Fringes in fever fear
A STAFF REPORTER

Experts in vector-borne diseases from New Delhi visited Budge Budge and Bishnupur on Thursday to assess the outbreak of dengue, chikungunya and an unknown fever in the area. They were accompanied by officials of the state health department.

State health minister Surya Kanta Mishra is scheduled to tour South 24-Parganas on Friday.

The spread of the diseases left the experts stumped even as the number of people affected by the unknown fever crossed 3,000 in seven blocks, including Mograhat, Falta and Joynagar.

On Thursday, health officials confirmed that of the 47 blood samples sent for tests from Falta, three have tested positive for chikungunya and dengue. In Budge Budge II, three more cases of chikungunya have been confirmed, taking the total number of affected people to seven.

?All block medical officers (health) have been asked to send samples to the two referral centres, ICMR and the School of Tropical Medicine. Once a case is confirmed, the patient can be isolated immediately to prevent spread of the virus through mosquitoes,? said Sacchidananda Sarkar, the chief medical officer (health) of South 24-Parganas.

The death of a 13-year-old boy, who had been suffering from fever, in Howrah?s Bigachi spread panic among residents. Many turned up at medical camps with high fever, headache and joint pain.

Health officials said they were finding it difficult to sensitise people in some pockets about the danger of storing clear water.

?Residents refuse to believe that mosquitoes causing dengue and chikungunya breed in clear water,? said an official in Sathgachia.
To

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%">'Chikungunya' claims Howrah teenager</ARTTITLE>
17 Oct 2008, 0429 hrs IST,TNN

</TD></TR><TR><TD height=10></TD></TR><TR><TD width=470><TABLE class=fs11 id=printtool cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=prnt></TD><TD class=mail></TD><TD class=disc></TD><TD class=bkmark></TD><TD class=save></TD><TD class=wte></TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 1px; PADDING-LEFT: 2px; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 5px"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left><!-- google_ad_section_start -->KOLKATA: Suspected chikungunya claimed the life of a 13-year-old boy on Wednesday night. Shiben Sarkar of Howrah's Baigachhi village had been suffer<TABLE style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 4px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 8px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD id=bellyad></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>ing



</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>from high fever for the last two days and undergoing treatment at the Chanditala primary health centre.

Two cases of chikungunya have been reported from south Kolkata's Chetla as well.

On Thursday, the Howrah health department opened a relief camp in the area, where more than 500 people have been reportedly suffering from chikungunya for the past two months. "Being a vector-borne disease, chikungunya is spreading very fast. We are suspecting that many other neighbouring villages have also been affected," said Suparno Paul, block medical officer. The district health officials have launched a door-to-door campaign to find out how many people are suffering from fever in the area. Blood samples of those suffering from fever will be collected at the camp and sent for tests.

The state health dept is keeping its fingers crossed as the fever is raging across districts in south Bengal. The situation is becoming worse at Budge Budge and Bishnupur in South 24-Parganas. More than 15,000 people are said to be suffering from a mystery fever in these two areas.

Experts are also worried as chikungunya and dengue are fast spreading in south Kolkata. Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) sources confirmed that a 14-year-old girl of Beliaghata has been hospitalised with dengue.
Firhad Hakim, councillor of ward 82, claimed that two cases of chikungunya were reported from his ward.

"Geeta Dutta (70) and her 30-year-old son are suffering from chikungunya. They have not been admitted to any nursing home yet. KMC's health department has also not conducted mandatory tests on the two. Many more residents are also suffering from fever," he said. :tiphat:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...laims_Howrah_teenager/articleshow/3606164.cms

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%">Experts sound dengue warning</ARTTITLE>
16 Oct 2008, 0214 hrs IST,TNN
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=10></TD></TR><TR><TD width=470><TABLE class=fs11 id=printtool cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=prnt> </TD><TD class=mail> </TD><TD class=disc> </TD><TD class=bkmark> </TD><TD class=save> </TD><TD class=wte> </TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 1px; PADDING-LEFT: 2px; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 5px"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left><!-- google_ad_section_start -->KOLKATA: Experts have sounded a warning for Kolkata following three dengue deaths in the city. <TABLE style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 4px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 8px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD id=bellyad></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

In the absence of proper surveillance and preventive measures, the city is facing an epidemic threat, they said. Nothing has been done yet to speed up vector control measures or to verify if the mystery fever that has struck South 24-Parganas is Japanese encephalitis.

Last week, a resident of Behala succumbed to it at the School of Tropical Medicine. More than 3,500 people have been affected by a mysterious fever in South 24-Parganas. Most patients are from Budge Budge II and Bishnupur II blocks. Four new cases of chikungunya were confirmed in the district on Wednesday.

"Going by the symptoms, it seems the fever is either dengue or chikungunya. But the local civic authorities should have arranged for the collection of blood samples and got the result by now as the disease is spreading fast. This post-monsoon period, when temperatures are high but intermittent rains continue, is ideal for Japanese encephalitis. Since the area has paddy fields, which are the breeding grounds of Culex vishnui mosquito, there is reason to be scared," said virologist Tomonash Bhattacharya.

A section of KMC health officials expressed that the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) of KMC has been a "total failure". "Immediately after the Japanese encephalitis death, a rapid response team should have been sent to the area. They should have checked if there are breeding grounds for Culex mosquitoes in the area and have recommended preventive measures. A vigilance on the local piggeries was also necessary. But nothing was done," said a civic official.

Reacting to the grave situation, a team of KMC health officials went to Sabarnapara and launched a cleanliness drive. Subodh De, mayor-in-council member overseeing the KMC health department, said a malaria clinic would be opened near Sabarnapara soon.

KMC does not have the required number of entomologists either. It has just one against the five recommended by officials of the National Vector-borne Disease Control after the dengue outbreak in 2005.:tiphat: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/..._sound_dengue_warning/articleshow/3600862.cms

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[Treyfish]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

Wake up KMC, people are dying
Pranesh Sarkar
KOLKATA, Oct. 16: When will the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) act to arrest the spread of vector-borne diseases in the city?
Three people have already died of dengue. Chikungunya and malaria cases have been reported. Yet the KMC remains complacent.
Even today it was found that the KMC has failed to send blood samples of suspected cases to referral labs for disease confirmation. Experts said this could create trouble for the authorities concerned in stopping further spread of these diseases.
According to reports, the referral labs, namely the School of Tropical Medicine (STM) and the city-based virus unit of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), are currently carrying out dengue and chikungunya confirmation tests of samples sent from the districts, mainly South and North 24-Parganas.
Some senior health department officials told The Statesman: ?As no samples were sent to the referral labs from the city, it is tough to know how fast these diseases have spread within Kolkata. This should have come to light, especially when dengue has already claimed lives.?
A few KMC officials acknowledged that the KMC should send samples of suspected cases to the referral labs on a regular basis since the ground level health clinics where 70 per cent of people with suspected cases visit are run by the civic body.
This inaction clearly exposes the KMC callousness in terms of handling an emergency situation. The number of dengue cases in the city came to light when the ICMR sent a report to the health department in September. More than 70 people tested dengue positive in ward no. 30 at that time. The ICMR had collected the blood samples for research purposes; the KMC had not sent them.
Though many cases were confirmed in one ward, the KMC did not find any reason to send even a single sample to the referral labs. As a result, the state health department is clueless about the spread of dengue in the city.
KMC officials also failed to attend meetings which were called to frame a joint strategy with the health department to arrest the spread of vector-borne diseases. Earlier, a project initiated by the ICMR to keep track of influenza cases in the city was cancelled as the KMC had not sent any samples.
When contacted, mayor Mr Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya, said: ?Whenever we find any suspected case in the city we refer it to the STM." When asked why no cases have been referred this year, the mayor replied: ?That means we have not found any suspected case so far.? :tiphat:http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=22&theme=&usrsess=1&id=227444

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

Now, after malaria and dengue ,Insefflitis

Oct 11, 11:36 pm​

Calcutta. Dengue and malaria after the metropolis to grow in Outbreak of Japanese Insefflitis are getting complaints.
Thursday from Insefflitis a person's death has become. According to the Department of Health Bdiasa Pra from the deluge of Asawarna Chowdhury (34) because of the Inseffalatis died. He was ill the last three months.
Sskeem, Park Street, a private hospital and the Medisin Tropikal Off His medical school was being.
Local 126 of the ward number of people and Parshd Shyama Das, has alleged that the Municipal Corporation of the patient as early in Sanbandh did not notice. Even his medical was not proper.
State Superintendent of the Department of Health has said that Dr. Ssaumendranath Bndhyopadhyay death for a full report on something in this regard can be said. He said the South 24 Parganas, chief superintendent of the health system oriented to the Vigilance has been said. Municipal officials said this charge is unfounded. The patient was told that come out here and was suffering from. Deputy superintendent of health, said Dr. Shantanu Ahalder this season the disease is. This is a disease of the rural sector. Especially the mosquito that spreads.

Council members of the mayor of the Department of Health said Subodh give municipal employees to Akalipuja has Cuntty canceled. Metropolitan areas in all of the pesticide spraying of drugs is being done. He said that people have appealed to their neighborhood - not near water because water Jmne to Jmne which are produced from mosquitoes like - like the risk of outbreak of diseases. He said that the Kolkata police have been asked where that old vehicles - Thhan not leave. More days of old vehicles standing at a place like to live in it - kind of bacteria caused the diseases are spread. :tiphat:http://209.85.171.104/translate_c?h...&tl=hi&usg=ALkJrhiInxMGawLsIkDgIMS8SlgPqskt_A

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

******
[2] India (West Bengal)
Date: Thu 16 Oct 2008
Source: Sundh Today.net [edited]
<http://www.sindhtoday.net/health/28771.htm>


"We have detected dengue and chikungunya virus in blood samples of
about 250 people since 9 Oct [2008]," district chief medical officer
(health) of South 24 Parganas Sachchidananda Sarkar said.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Brent Barrett

[These cases occurred in the same general area reported in the 14 Oct
2008 ProMED post (archive no. 20081014.3248), indicating that the
chikungunya virus outbreak there is continuing. The Chief Medical
Officer did not indicate how many of these 250 blood samples were
positive for chikungunya virus. - Mod.TY]

A map of India showing the location of West Bengal state can be accessed at
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/india_pol01.jpg>,
and a map of West Bengal state showing the location where these cases
occurred can be accessed at
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishnupur_(South_24_Parganas)>.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of India can be accessed at
<http://healthmap.org/promed?g=1252881&v=22.9,79.6,5>.:tiphat:http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,74405

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=articleheader>Fever fight lacks sting
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=articleauthor>A STAFF REPORTER </TD></TR><TR><TD class=story align=left><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width=172 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>javascript:MM_openBrWindow('../../i...ble=yes,scrollbars=yes,width=500,height=400') </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Dengue and malaria have claimed several lives over the past few weeks but the state and civic health departments seem far from ready to tackle the vector-borne diseases.
Instead of drawing up a fool-proof plan to contain the outbreak, the agencies are busy passing the buck.
Health department officials claimed the civic body was keeping them in the dark about the prevalence of dengue and malaria.
?We are not being told about the new cases. In the absence of an information sharing system, we are not being able to gauge the severity of the outbreak,? said an expert at the Indian Council for Medical Research, one of the two nodal institutes for monitoring the spread of vector-borne diseases in the city.
The School of Tropical Medicine (STM) is the other nodal centre.
The other problems hampering the fight against fever include lack of enough personnel and medical kits to test blood samples. ?We don?t have enough people to join the medical teams that are touring the affected areas. There are also not enough medical kits,? said an STM official.
Chief municipal health officer DebDwaipayan Chattopadhyay denied that the civic body was ill-prepared to tackle the situation. ?We have launched a drive to make people aware of the vector-borne diseases. Our technicians have been trained.?
Government sources said five people have died of dengue in the city and adjoining districts in the past two weeks, while malaria has claimed one life. Many people on the southern fringes and Howrah are suffering from an unknown fever, with symptoms similar to that of chikunguniya.:tiphat:http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081018/jsp/calcutta/story_9985483.jsp​

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

Source: http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=22&theme=&usrsess=1&id=227638


40 suffering from dengue
Pranesh Sarkar

KOLKATA/HOWRAH/BUDGE BUDGE, Oct. 17: Although the mayor, Mr Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya, told The Statesman yesterday that Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) did not find any suspected dengue case and that?s why no sample was sent to the referral labs, the city-based virus unit of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) today confirmed 40 dengue cases in Ward no 30 alone.
According to a report received by the state health department today, all these samples were collected within a span of two weeks. With these 40 cases, the total number of dengue cases in the ward has crossed 90. It may be recalled that the ICMR is carrying out a research work on dengue in Manicktala area that falls within Ward no 30.
As a part of the project, the ICMR is collecting samples from suspected dengue patients and conducting confirmation tests of the samples. In its first report in September, the ICMR had confirmed 54 dengue cases in the ward.
This report had set the alarm bells ringing as experts suspected rapid spread of the disease in the post-monsoon period. The health department had also held several meetings to stop the spread of the disease. It was also decided that a joint action plan would be formulated to arrest the spread of the disease. But the KMC officials did not find time to attend the meeting.
It also came to light that the KMC did not send any sample to the referral labs~ namely School of Tropical Medicine (STM) and ICMR's virus unit~ for confirmation of the disease. Even, the mayor justified the move by saying that they did not find any suspected case visiting KMC's health clinics spread across the city. Will the KMC act now?
Mr Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya said that he was not aware of any report. ?I will look into the matter. KMC has no knowledeg of suspected dengue cases yet,? he said.
Meanwhile, resentment is growing among residents of villages in Howrah and South 24-Parganas in which vector-borne diseases have made their way.
Villagers complained of inadequate medical aid and lack of initiative by the district administration in controlling the spread of dengue and chikungunya viruses, even as fresh cases are being reported.
When contacted, Mr Sachhidananda Sarkar, CMOH, South 24-Parganas admitted that nine people have been tested dengue positive in the last 24 hours.
Though a couple of days have passed after the suspected chikungunya death was reported from Jagadishpur Baigachi in Howrah, hundreds of villagers who are suffering from high fever are yet to receive adequate medical aid from the district health department. More than 400 people of about nine Wards in Jagadishpur gram panchayat have been effected with high fever. But, the district health department was found helpless to provide adequate medical assistance to the effected people.
At least five people of Baigachi were found lying in front of Shakti Sangha Club with high fever this afternoon waiting for doctors to arrive.
Mr Chandkumar Ghosh, a neighbour of deceased Shibam Sarkar, who died on Wednesday night was one of the these patients.
His wife, Mrs Devi Dey said: "We were informed by members of our gram panchayat that a team of doctors will set up a health camp here, but there was no trace of any doctor or even any of the district health department officials since morning.?
Mr Suparno Pal, BMOH said: ?A team of two doctors and four health department officials are conducting a health camp at Tantipara, but it is not possible for me to run two health camps at the same time with just two doctors.? CMOH, Howrah, Dr Dilip Deb said that it was difficult for him to say when an additional team could be sent there.
The situation at Budge-Budge block I and II in South 24-Parganas, where disease like dengue and chikunguniya have broken out, is no different. Allegations of non-performance are flying thick and fast against the Budge-Budge municipality and district health department. Villagers of Nodakhali, Kalinagar, Muchisa and Baowali alleged that the civic body did not spray mosquito repellant in the waterlogged areas regularly.
Villagers demonstrated and gheraoed a medical team in the Kalinagar village on Thursday demanding immediate medical attention for the victims. ?The district health department did not take the matter seriously. Nearly sixty people have been suffering from dengue here. We want a permanent medical camp in our village,? said Mr Sajal Das, a villager of Kalinagar.
Even the treatment of dengue patients at Muchisa Hospital has been affected due to frequent power cuts. It has also been alleged that medical camps are understaffed, which make it difficult to tackle so many patients. Instead of three doctors most of the camps are running with a single doctor. Villagers also allege that they are also not getting medicine from the drug stores of the hospital and medical camps. Residents of Behala also expressed their anger against the KMC accusing them of being negligent in spraying mosquito repellant following the monsoon.

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

[1] West Bengal - Kolkata
Date: Thu 16 Oct 2008
Source: Sundh Today.net [edited]
<http://www.sindhtoday.net/health/28771.htm>


A [34-year-old] man died of Japanese encephalitis 9 Oct [2008]. He is
the 1st victim of the disease in the city [Kolkata] in 10 years. The
man, a resident of Behala, was tested positive for Japanese
encephalitis in the confirmatory IgM test Sep 9 [2008]. He was
suffering from high fever and convulsions over the past 3 months and
died at the School for Tropical Medicine (STM) at Thakurpukur in
south Kolkata Oct 9 [2008], said his brother-in-law.

However, despite the IgM report, chief civic health officer
Debdaipayan Chattopadhyay said that the man did not die of Japanese
encephalitis. "The STM report shows that he died of pneumonia. He was
suffering from Japanese encephalitis one-and-a-half months ago,"
Chattopadhyay said.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED Rapporteur Brent Barrett

[Interestingly, dengue and chikungunya viruses are also circulating
in this area and causing human disease. This illustrates the need to
be alert to the possibility of multiple etiological agents occurring
in the same place at the same time.

A map of India showing the location of West Bengal state can be accessed at
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/india_pol01.jpg>, and
a map of West Bengal state showing the location where this case
occurred can be accessed at
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishnupur_(South_24_Parganas)>.
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of India can be accessed at
<http://healthmap.org/promed?g=1252881&v=22.9,79.6,5>. - Mod.TY]

:tiphat:http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,74416

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

Source: http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=1&theme=&usrsess=1&id=227657

Vector-borne diseases run riot

Statesman News Service
KOLKATA/HOWRAH/SURI/KRISHNAGAR, Oct. 18: Fear of a dengue outbreak loomed large over the state with two people dying because of suspected dengue today.
A 33-year-old woman, Saswati Banerjee, died after suffering from suspected dengue at a private nursing home in Barrackpore in North 24-Parganas. In a separate incident, a 13-year-old boy, Antarul Sheikh, died in Bharatpur village in Mira-II gram panchayat in Nadia.
An official of the private nursing home in which Saswati Banerjee was admitted claimed that the patient died within two hours of her admission.
Meanwhile, panic spread in Bharatpur village after an unknown viral fever claimed Antarul Sheikh?s life. Antarul?s brother and a neighbour were also afflicted with the virus.
CMOH, Nadia, Dr Arijit Chakraborty said: ?The exact nature of the disease has not yet been ascertained. Blood samples have been sent for analysis but reports have not come in yet.?
Another suspected case of chikungunya was reported in Dhakuria, Kolkata, today. Anish Sarkar (12) was admitted to a private nursing home this evening with symptoms of chikungunya.
Meanwhile, the 100-odd rapid dengue confirmation kits that had been lying unused at the CMOH?s office in Birbhum for the last seven days were finally supplied to the three sub-divisional hospitals of Rampurhat, Bolpur and Suri today. The Statesman had yesterday carried a report on the kits not being used.
In Kolkata, representatives from the Union ministry of health and family welfare and National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) today met health department officials of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and reviewed the situation in the city and its outskirts.
A need to increase coordination between the state health department and the civic body was pointed out at the meeting, because of conflicting reports regarding the number of people afflicted by dengue. While the state health department had claimed that the number was 89, KMC had put that figure at 24. Later, a survey revealed that the figure of afflicted people was 55. Civic doctors however added that the district administration of South 24-Parganas have already sought help from the KMC in controlling the spread of vector borne disease.
Meanwhile, chikungunya has reared its head in Howrah too. After examining over 200 residents of Baigachi and its adjacent villages, BMOH Dr Suparno Pal expressed suspicion that around 92 people may be afflicted with chikungunya.

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

2-year-old suffering from JE
JOYNAGAR /KOLKATA, Oct. 20: Weeks after the death of a person in Sabarnapara in Behala, Japanese Encephalitis (JE) has reared its head in Joynagar in South 24-Parganas.
Dr Sachhidananda Sarkar, chief municipal officer of health, South 24-Parganas, said that a two-year-old girl, Sabina Khatun, a resident of Kanghalia village in Joynagar, has been suffering from JE for the past one month. She was initially admitted to the Baruipur sub-divisional Hospital where doctors failed to diagnose her disease. After doctors found traces of JE virus in her blood she was shifted to a private hospital in Kolkata.
On the other hand, Mrs Sonali Guha, the Trinamul Congress MLA from Satgachia has been suffering from malaria for last two days. Trinamul Congress councillors led by Mr Javed Khan walked out of the proceedings of today?s monthly meeting at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation demanding that stronger steps be taken against the outbreak of vector-borne diseases in the city. In another instance, a eight-year-old boy, Nilabho Banerjee,was diagnosed with dengue in the BB Block of Salt Lake today. Health officals of Bidhannagar Muncipality however denied knowledge about the incident. n SNS:tiphat:http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=22&theme=&usrsess=1&id=227963

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

Special team of doctors to be deployed
KOLKATA, Oct. 20:
In view of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation?s (KMC) complete failure to tackle the outbreak of vector-borne diseases, the state health department has decided to set up a team of civic doctors ~ ?assisting, helping and advising? ~ to arrest the outbreak of the diseases in the city.
A fax in this regard was received by the civic body from the director health services, Dr Sanchita Bakshi, late this evening, civic doctors said. According to civic officials, the city and its outskirts have been categorised into various zones. Some of these zones have been categorised as Chetla, Dum Dum-Baranagar, Tiljala including Wards 30 to 35 and Calcutta Medical College and Hospital. Five teams each having two doctors of the state health department will be assisting the civic body in fighting the outbreak of diseases in these areas.
Interestingly, the move comes after the state health department repeatedly expressed its unhappiness with the civic body in taking appropriate vector control measures.
Moreover, the decision now makes it clear the state health department's apparent disillusion with vector control measures initiated by KMC. It may be recalled that on previous occasions, there have been discrepancies in the reports prepared by the civic body and the state health department. While KMC claimed that 24 people had been afflicted with dengue, the state health department had put the figure at 89.
Municipal commissioner, Mr Alapan Bandopadhyay, had then pointed out that the discrepancies arose because of a difference in areas under jurisdiction of the KMC and the postal addresses that are considered by the state health department while preparing their reports. In another instance, the Indian Council of Medical Research?s virology unit had presented a report to the state health department whereby it claimed that over 50 people were suffering from dengue in Ward 30 of KMC alone. KMC was oblivious of the outbreak and acted only after receiving reports from the state health department.
When contacted, director of health services (DHS), Dr Sanchita Bakshi, confirmed the issuance of such an order. According to Dr Bakshi, nine teams that include the DHS, assistant director of health, joint director of health, deputy director of health, have been formed. The teams will consist of 2 doctors and will look into controlling the outbreak of vector-borne diseases in various districts like Howrah, Hooghly, North and South 24-Parganas and Nadia including Kolkata. n SNS:tiphat:http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=22&theme=&usrsess=1&id=227959

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%">Dengue, malaria trigger epidemic scare in city</ARTTITLE>
21 Oct 2008, 0158 hrs IST, TNN
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=10></TD></TR><TR><TD width=470><TABLE class=fs11 id=printtool cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=prnt> </TD><TD class=mail> </TD><TD class=disc> </TD><TD class=bkmark> </TD><TD class=save> </TD><TD class=wte> </TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 1px; PADDING-LEFT: 2px; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 5px"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left><!-- google_ad_section_start -->KOLKATA: The city and its surrounding areas continued to reel under a dual malaria-dengue attack even as a scare of Japanese encephalitis loomed lar<TABLE style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 4px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 8px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD id=bellyad></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>ge.

"We have an epidemic-like situation and it is getting worse. There's no doubt that Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has been slow in reacting," said a civic official.

Close on the heels of a two-year-old girl being admitted to Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan with Japanese encephalitis on Sunday, yet another dengue case was reported from Salt Lake. Eight-year-old Nilabha Banerjee, a resident of BB-30, was found suffering from the disease on October 17 after a blood test. "My son has been suffering from high fever since October 11. He also had vomiting tendencies. After testing negative for malaria, our doctor recommended a dengue test and the result was positive. He is recovering well," said his father Jayanta Banerjee, a businessman.

Bidhannagar Municipality chairman-in-council Nandogopal Bhattacharya said the number of dengue cases has reached 11 in the township. "We are taking all measures. We have put up more than a hundred hoardings and distributed 3,000 leaflets in the township. We are also spraying mosquito-destroying oil in all the gullypits. It is baffling that though there are not too many mosquitoes in the township, yet dengue is spreading," he said.

The situation was far worse in Kolkata. Hundreds of cases are being reported every day and civic authorities admitted that the situation was grim. So far, there have been three dengue deaths in the city with 65-70 confirmed cases.

Trinamool Congress councillors staged a walk-out from KMC's monthly meeting on Monday. "The civic health department has taken no step to check the spread of the diseases," alleged Javed Khan, Opposition leader at KMC.

But dengue and malaria are not the only threats. Experts believe Japanese encephalitis could turn out to be more dangerous if there is an outbreak. Two-year-old Sumina Khatun from Joynagar, who was admitted to Ramakrishna Mission Seva Sadan with the disease on Sunday, was stated to be stable.
:tiphat:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...pidemic_scare_in_city/articleshow/3621222.cms

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<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> var RN = new String (Math.random()); var RNS = RN.substring (2,11); b2 = '<iframe src=\"http://adstil.indiatimes.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_sx.ads/www.timesofindia.com/Cities/index.html/1'+RNS+'@Right3?\" WIDTH=250 HEIGHT=250 marginwidth=0 marginheight=0 hspace=0 vspace=0 frameborder=0 scrolling=no bordercolor=\"#000000\"> </iframe>'; if (doweshowbellyad==1) bellyad.innerHTML = b2; </SCRIPT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%">Second Japanese encephalitis case sparks fresh scare</ARTTITLE>
20 Oct 2008, 0414 hrs IST
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=10></TD></TR><TR><TD width=470><TABLE class=fs11 id=printtool cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=prnt> </TD><TD class=mail> </TD><TD class=disc> </TD><TD class=bkmark> </TD><TD class=save> </TD><TD class=wte> </TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 1px; PADDING-LEFT: 2px; BACKGROUND-IMAGE: none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 5px"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left><!-- google_ad_section_start -->KOLKATA: Less than two weeks after Japanese encephalitis claimed a life in Kolkata, a two-year-old girl was found afflicted with the deadly virus in <TABLE style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 4px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 8px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD id=bellyad></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Joynagar, South 24-Parganas.

Sumina Khatun, a resident of Sreekrishnanagar in Joynagar block II was admitted to Ramakrishna Mission Seva Sadan on Saturday. According to doctors at the hospital, Sumina had high fever and has been kept under observation.

According to Sumina?s family, she has been suffering from high fever and body ache for the last 10 days. She was treated at a local hospital last week. But her condition did not improve. Nor could doctors detect the ailment, said her father Mafirul Sheikh, a farmer. ?The fever persisted despite medicines and her limb movements were affected. My daughter was in extreme discomfort but doctors didn?t have a clue what was wrong with her. They said they suspected something serious and asked me to shift her to a hospital in Kolkata,? he said.

Blood tests confirmed that Sumina had Japanese encephalitis. This is the second case reported in Kolkata and its surrounding areas in the last fortnight. On October 9, 36-year-old Pralay Choudhuri ? a resident of Sabarnapara in Behala ? died of Japanese encephalitis at the School of Tropical Medicine. Civic officials suspect the disease has spread in the adjoining areas. A team of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials visited the area on Friday.

The second Japanese encephalitis case has triggered a panic in South 24-Parganas. Even as residents of Joynagar alleged that the local health department has done nothing to check malaria and dengue, the authorities swung into action on Saturday. Detection-cum-treatment clinics for vector-borne diseases were started. Health teams have already started collecting blood samples.

?This is alarming, for the district already has a large number of dengue and malaria patients. We are taking steps to prevent an outbreak,? said Sachchidananda Sarkar, chief medical officer (health). So far, 27 persons have been afflicted with chikungunya and 19 with dengue in the district. Two dengue deaths have been reported so far.

Kolkata, too, is reeling under a dengue and malaria onslaught. Several new cases have been reported in the last two days, leading to a fresh outbreak scare. Thirty-five new dengue cases were reported from north and east Kolkata on Saturday. A WHO team will review the situation and meet civic officials on Saturday. :tiphat:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...se_sparks_fresh_scare/articleshow/3616806.cms


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

Bill not paid, hospital shows encephalitis-hit child the door

<TABLE class=font_size cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=150 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Posted: Oct 22, 2008 at 0251 hrs IST

Kolkata, October 21 Bystanders, doctors help him get readmitted


It took hours and intervention from bystanders to get eight-year old Shahjehan Sheikh, suffering from encephalitis, readmitted at the NRS Medical College and Hospital after the child?s mother was forced to take him out due to monetary problems.
On Tuesday afternoon, Shahjehan?s mother, Sufiyan, was forced get his son discharged from the hospital, as she was unable to bear medical bills.
Shahjehan, a resident of village Chanabaj in Murshidabad district, was admitted to the hospital nine days ago. His father, a farmer, had collected money from the village to meet the medical expenses. But three days ago, he had to return to his village leaving his wife and brother, Jabbah Sheikh, behind, as the cost of the family?s stay in Kolkata became unbearable.
?Shahjehan had been ill from before the Pujas but he soon recovered. When he fell ill again, he was admitted to a hospital in Behrampore for three days but the doctors advised us to move him to Kolkata,? Sheikh said.
On Tuesday afternoon, they were forced to get Shahjehan discharged from the hospital, as they were unable to foot the hospital expenses.
As Shahjehan lay on the grounds within the premises of the hospital, locals and other families of patients gathered around them. On intervention by the people and other doctors who had gathered there, the medical superintendent of the hospital, Prof Lakhmi Kanta Ghosh, re-admitted the child. ?There was nothing we could have done, we had no money to meet the mounting medical expenses as my husband is a farmer and we do not have any money left,? Sufiyan said. Ghosh said that he would approach the Indian Medical Association to help Shahjehan. He added that the hospital would take care of his medical bills. :tiphat:http://www.expressindia.com/latest-...-shows-encephalitishit-child-the-door/376449/

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

Fear of Bird Flu grips villagers
Statesman News Service
JAJPUR, Oct. 20:
Outbreak of a mysterious fever in Bari, Korei, Rasulpur and Dharmasala blocks have led to fear of Bird Flu here. But district health authorities say it is not bird flu but some other virus which is yet to be diagnosed
?Initially the patients complained to be suffering from high fever and later severe pain following swelling of all joints of the body. They are initially treated a malaria patients and then antibiotics meant for typhoid is also given to the patients," said Mr Surendra Kumar Panda, a social worker of Rasulpur block .
Sources said the fever was first reported from Brahmabarada village under Rasulpur block. Later it spread to residents of many gram panchayats in Bari, Korei and Dharmasala block of the district.
?It is viral fever and not Bird Flu. Earlier, we had collected blood slide and serum of many patients and sent it to the state laboratory for test," said doctors attending to patients at the block health care centre. Medical teams are treating and collecting the blood sample. There is no need of panic as the fever is the seasonal viral fever,? said Mr Raghunath Padhy, chief district medical officer of Jajpur.:tiphat:http://www.thestatesman.net/page.new...ss=1&id=227916 :tiphat:http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?glide=BH-20081021-18925-IND&cat=dis&lang=eng<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

Malignant malaria, dengue count rises​

Fresh cases of dengue and malignant malaria were reported in the city on Tuesday. Shipra Roy Chowdhury, 66, of Chetla ? where chief medical officer of health DebDwaipayan Chattopadhyay lives ? has been admitted to a nursing home after testing positive for malignant malaria. Anjana Chhetri, 22, of New Alipore, was admitted to the same nursing home with dengue.:tiphat: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081022/jsp/calcutta/story_10002237.jsp#1

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Calcutta: Mystery fever strikes 300

UNDIAGNOSED DISEASE - INDIA: (ORISSA), REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
***************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Mon 20 Oct 2008
Source: The Statesman News Service [edited]
<http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=9&id=227916&usrsess=1>


Undiagnosed viral disease in Jajpur district of Orissa state
------------------------------------------------------------
The outbreak of a mysterious fever in Bari, Korei, Rasulpur and
Dharmasala blocks has led to fear of bird flu here. But district
health authorities say it is not bird flu but some other virus which
is yet to be diagnosed.

"Initially the patients complained to be suffering from high fever
and later severe pain following swelling of all joints of the body.
They [were] initially treated as malaria patients and then
antibiotics meant for typhoid [were] also given to the patients,"
said Mr Surendra Kumar Panda, a social worker of Rasulpur block.
Sources said the fever was 1st reported from Brahmabarada village
under Rasulpur block. Later it spread to residents of many gram
panchayats [an administrative group of villages] in Bari, Korei and
Dharmasala block of the district.

"It is viral fever and not bird flu. Earlier, we had collected blood
slides and serum from many patients and sent them to the state
laboratory for test," said doctors attending to patients at the block
health care centre.

"Medical teams are treating and collecting the blood sample. There is
no need of panic as the fever is a seasonal viral fever," said Mr
Raghunath Padhy, chief district medical officer of Jajpur.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall

[From the meagre description of the symptoms it is unlikely that this
outbreak is a consequene of avian influenza virus infection. The
symptoms, seasonal nature, and absence of fatalities are features
more compatible with an outbreak of the mosquito-borne chikungunya
virus infection. Further information on the outbreak and the results
of the diagnostic tests would be welcomed. - Mod.CP/MPP]

[There appears to be no connection between this outbreak and another,
which caused some deaths, in a different part of Orissa state in
August 2008 -- see ProMED ref. below.
Jajpur is the administrative center of Jajpur distict in the Indian
state of Orissa. A map showing the location of Orissa state can be
accessed at:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jajpur#Politics>
Dharmasala and Bari are in the middle of this Orissa state map, on the river:
<http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/orissa/districts/jajpur.htm>.
More information is available at:
<http://jajpur.nic.in>.
(Dharmasala block (panchayat) in Jajpur district, Orissa, is not to be
confused with DharAMsala district in the state of Himachal Pradesh
(HP), the home in exile of the Dalai Lama.) - Mod.JW]
:tiphat:
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,74470