Malkangiri: A mysterious disease has reared its ugly head in a tribal village of Malkangiri district. So far the mysterious disease has claimed lives of five kids, sources said Tuesday. Reports said that the death of the kids due to the unknown disease has triggered panic among residents at Sudhakhunta vilalge under Kalimela block.
Villagers informed that the first symptoms of the disease is usually cold and cough. It is accompanied by rise in body temperature and loose motions. In all the cases, the parents took the affected children to the hospital only after the fever remained high for a substantial period of time. By that time however, the situation had gone out of hand.
Some villagers said that the families of the kids had taken them to traditional healers first when they were hit with fever. Lack of proper medical facilities and the lack of health consciousness have forced the villagers to be at the mercy of quacks.
Some villagers also blamed the headman for such a situation. They said because of the headman’s orders many people go to sorcerers for treatment.
Among the victims are four-year old son of Deba Madkami, five-year-old son and two-month-old daughter of Ram Madhi, three-year old daughter of Bira Madkami and five-year-old son of Jay Sodhi.
Panicked residents of the village are now apprehensive that the disease may affect other kids if preventive measures are not taken quickly by the health authorities.
They also said that the district health team has not visited the village even once since the disease broke. They said that that health team must visit the village to take a stock of the situation and carry out blood tests of kids showing symptoms of the disease.