Mysterious disease claims 5 lives in just 11 days in Rayagada; medical team in village

A mysterious disease has claimed as many as five lives in the last 11 days in Lambheri village under Kalyansinghpur block in Odisha’s Rayagada district. The deaths in a short period have triggered panic among the villagers who are allegedly fleeing from the village as 10 other affected are battling for their lives in different hospitals in the district. 

Sources said the five persons could not be saved despite the best efforts by the doctors and that the exact disease behind the deaths is yet to be ascertained. 

On being alerted, a medical team from the Kalyansinghpur Community Health Centre (CHC) visited the village and took stock of the situation. While no exact reason for the sudden deaths has been ascertained, samples of water and food have been collected and sent for lab tests, informed the CHC officer.

Meanwhile, the CHC officer suspected two of them had died due to diarrhoea due to the contamination of polluted water from streams and pits due to the lack of proper drinking water facilities in the village. The reason for the death of the other three persons remains unknown.

“Only after the disease is identified that it could be known whether the people died of diarrhoea or any other disease,” he said.

On the other hand, Bissam Cuttack MLA Nilamadhab Hikaka accused the administration of gross negligence and demanded Rs 10 lakh compensation each for the kin of the deceased.

“There is gross negligence on the part of the medical authorities. They cannot send an ambulance whenever someone needs it. They cannot even provide proper medical care and treatment. Their negligence has claimed five valuable lives,” Hikaka alleged.

He further added, “At least 10 more are affected and battling for their lives in different hospitals. I came to know that there is a serious drinking water problem. Doctors are not concerned about the health of the people. If the doctors had reached there on time and provided treatment, we could have saved the lives of the five people.”