While Bhakta Bahadur GC, 54, of Lalikanda VDC-5, and Bhim Bahadur Thapa, 69, of Lalikanda VDC-7, died on Thursday, Jayasara Thapa, 61, Ramsila Nepali, 55, and one-year-old boy Ram Thapa, of Lalikanda VDC-5, died on Friday, according to Lalikanda VDC secretary Karna Bahadur Thapa.[break]
“It´s yet not confirmed if they all died of viral fever,” Thapa told Republica. “But, all of them had been suffering from high fever for many days.”
According to Thapa, over 300 people have caught fever in nearly six different VDCs of Dailekh. In ward numbers 1, 5, 6 and 7 of Lalikanda, nearly 200 people have fallen sick due to fever for the last one week alone.
Other VDCs with high number of fever patients include Piladi, Goganpani, Dandaparajul, Barah and Abalparajul. “Around 50 people have been visiting us for treatment every day,” said Lal Bahadur Chaudhari, senior assistant health worker at Piladi Health Post.
District Public Health Office of Dailekh has sent a medical team led by Assistant Health Worker Thir Prasad Regmi with medicines to the fever-affected areas on Thursday. The team has been split into three different groups to provide medical treatment to the sick.
“Almost every household has a fever patient,” said Thapa. “Therefore, it is difficult for the medical team to contain the viral outbreak.”
Schools closed in Parbat
Meanwhile, according to Republica correspondent Dilip Poudel, four schools remain closed in Parbat for the last one week following an outbreak of viral fever.
Jan Sewa Primary School in Barachaur VDC, National Idol Boarding School in Shaligram VDC and Janta Lower Secondary School and Ranipani Lower Secondary in Ranipani VDC of Parbat district were shut down on Thursday last week after hundreds of students fell sick due to viral fever.
“Initially, only a few students caught fever and were unable to attend classes,” says Krishna Bhushal, Principal of National Idol Boarding School.
“Gradually, more students fell sick. We closed down our school after nearly 80 students failed to turn up.”
All the three VDCs affected by viral fever are adjacent to each other. Viral fever has hit Bahaki VDC, too.
Dozens of people affected by viral fever are now thronging the local health posts and private clinics. In Ranipani VDC, where the outbreak of viral fever is worse, locals complain of lack of medicines.
“At the time of outbreak, our health post chief is on a study leave,” complains Tikaram Tiwari, Ranipani VDC secretary.
Dr Sagar Rajbhandari at District Public Health Office, Balgung said polluted water is the main cause behind the viral fever outbreak.
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