Malkangiri: In a bid to contain a mysterious disease outbreak that has claimed six lives in Tulasi village situated on the top of Tulasi hill under Mathili block, local residents have resorted to special worship at the ‘Gram Devi’ temple.
The move comes even as special medical teams have been deployed in the region to investigate the cause of the deaths and treat affected patients.
The six deaths, which occurred within a week, include three members of the same family. Gadri Darua, a local woman, lost her husband and two children to the alleged diarrhoea outbreak. Another victim, 36-year-old Subarna Naik, also succumbed to similar symptoms.
However, medical experts have cast doubt on the diarrhoea outbreak theory. “There are no symptoms of diarrhoea. The victims’ food habits have contributed to certain symptoms that led to their deaths. We have collected samples for examination, and the results will reveal the cause of the disease,” said Dr. Durga Raj, an epidemiologist and member of the medical team.
The Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) also ruled out diarrhoea as the cause of death, attributing some fatalities to poisonous mushroom consumption and others to food-related illnesses.
The situation remains under investigation, with medical teams working to determine the exact cause of the mysterious deaths.
