Mystery disease claims 13 lives in Bihar

A mystery disease has claimed 13 lives in Sugauli panchayat in East Champaran district even as more patients with symptoms of the disease reported ill.

Doctors in the district are baffled by the spate of deaths of patients who complained of sore throat followed by nausea. In the past two days, nine people died and three were rushed to Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH) last night in a critical condition. All three patients died on their way to Patna. The 13th patient died on Tuesday.

More cases pour in

Doctors claimed that a number of victims with similar symptoms are pouring in from other villages, too. In a bid to understand the cause of the deaths, a team of doctors conducted autopsy on people who died on Tuesday morning.

Sridhar Chiruvolu, the district magistrate, said the reason and cause for deaths is still not known. “We are waiting for the autopsy report to confirm cause of the deaths,” he said. The administration has rushed a team of doctors to control the situation.

Samir Sinha, a doctor treating the affected patients, said that initial autopsy report has thrown no light on cause of deaths. Doctors have rushed the viscera of the victims to PMCH. The viscera report is expected next week.

District administration officials, concerned over the inconclusive autopsy report, have sought the help of a forensic team from the state capital. S N Mustaq, deputy director of health services, said that it’s difficult to diagnose the mystery disease.

State health department has also rushed a team of doctors to Sugauli to probe the cause of the deaths.

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