Md Joynal Abedin Khan :
Hundreds of inhabitants from different villages are moving in safe places after five members of a same family died and some others were newly infected by an unidentified disease within a span of 15 days. The disease spread to Bhandardaha Morichpara village in Dhantola Union of Baliadangi upazila in Thakurgoan district.Restrictions have been clamped on the movement of people, and schools were shut after more people were affected with same symptoms..
The infected individuals suffer from high fever, severe headaches and throat infection, said Newaz, who visited the Bhandardaha Morichpara village with a medical team, report our District Correspondent quoting doctors and locals.
After being infected wuth similar symptoms, Yusuf’s wife Kohinur Begum, their two-year- old child and Kohinur’s father Rabiul Islam were sent to Thakurgaon Modern Hospital on Monday. Later, they were shifted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital, Chairman Samad said. The physicians could not initially identify the cause of death, they said.
“The local administration on Tuesday restricted movement on the people in an area withun a radius of one kilometer centring the house wherefrom the deaths were reported,” said Dr KM Kamruzzaman Selim, District Administrator of Thakurgaon, to The New Nation on Tuesday evening.
“We are giving top priority to the matter. Officials concerned have been given directives to take necessary steps in this regard,” he said.
An emergency medical center and a control room have been opened in the area for round-the-clock services, said Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Masudur Rahman.
Village Police personnel have been deployed to check people’s move near the house. The villagers have been given 200 special masks, the UNO said.
The upazila authorities have also formed a three-member committee to investigate the incident, he added.
“The first case of the unknown illness was detected two weeks ago. Fifty-five-year old Abu Taher was the first to be prey. He died on February 9,” said Dhantala Union Council Chairman Samar Chatterjee.
In the meantime, Bhadardaha Government Primary School and Bhandar Daha High School were kept closed on Tuesday on the UNO’s advice, said Upazila Education Officer Shamsul Alam.
A specialist team from the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR arrived to identify the disease, Thakurgaon Acting Civil Surgeon Shahjahan Newaz, told the reporters on Tuesday.
The infected individuals suffered from high fever, severe headaches and throat infection, the doctor said.
“Three-member committee has been formed to investigate the deaths and six-member medical team has been formed to ensure immediate treatment. Control room has also been opened,” Newaj said.
“We’ve never had a disease like this one in our village. It came suddenly and left five people dead. Several others have already been affected,” said Durlabh Kumar, a resident of the village.
Another villager, Hafez Ali, said they are panicked and some of them have started fleeing the village.
Earlier, Fazar Ali, a resident of the village in Dhantala union, lost five of his family members. Many have already left the village for safety, said Dhantala Union Council Chairman Samar Chatterjee.
“The first case of the unknown illness was discovered two weeks ago. Fifty-five-year old Abu Taher was the first to fall ill. He died on February 9,” he said.
Eleven days after his death, his son-in-law Habibur Rahman, 35, died with similar conditions on February 20. Abu Taher’s wife Hosne Ara, 45, died a day later.
Two sons of Taher, Yusuf Ali, 30, and Mehedi Hasan, 27, fell sick on February 24, said Chatterjee.
Yusuf and Mehedi were taken to Rangpur Medical College Hospital after being given with primary medical care at Baliadangi Upazila Health Complex, he added.
“Yusuf died on his way to hospital while Mehedi died during treatment at night.”
