Bhubaneswar: Panic gripped Soro area of Balasore district of Odisha after five inmates of Purubai Kanyashram, managed by the Gandhi Seva Sangha (GSS), reportedly tested positive for the deadly Japanese encephalitis, a condition caused by mosquito-borne virus.
According to reports, blood samples of 29 students were tested last week following the death of one student of the Purubi Kanyashram. The Balasore District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) authorities confirmed that the test reports of six students were suffering from a viral fever. According to Dr Gahesh Sethi, CMO of Soro Hospital, these students reported fever and headaches. After tests, it was confirmed that they are suffering from a viral fever.
“We are currently treating six students at the hospital and their condition is stable. We intend to keep them under observation for another few days and then we will be able to ascertain if they have been infected by Japanese encephalitis or any other condition,” Dr Sethi said.
Meanwhile, the condition of 25 students at the Kanyashram deteriorated on Sunday night and they have been admitted to the Balasore DHH. Sources said that they were released from the hospital after improvement in their condition.
The Public Health Director has already reached Purubai Kanyashram and the hospital to assess as well as monitor the situation.
Sources said that three inmates of Purubai Kanyashram suddenly fell ill on Thursday night. They were rushed to Soro Government Hospital and when their health conditions became critical, two of them were shifted to the Balasore DHH. One of the ailing students succumbed to the disease while undergoing treatment at the DHH.
The deceased student was a resident of Nilagiri area in Balasore district.
Consequently, the Balasore Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde issued a directive for the thorough medical check-up of all the inmates of Purubai Kanyashram. Soon separate teams comprising the district health, district food safety, child welfare committee, local administration and a team of doctors reached the Kanyashram and examined the health condition of all the inmates.
An earlier report said that one girl inmate of Purubai Kanyashram died on Friday, another 26 have taken ill today and the condition of one of them was critical.
It was reported that these students fell ill after taking mid-day meal at the Kanyashram. However, their ailment neither has any relation with consuming mid-day meal or Japanese encephalitis, Dr Sethi said.
