Jajarkot killer disease yet to be identified

Samples sent to lab in Kathmandu

JAJARKOT/SURKHET, April 14: The authorities have yet to ascertain the disease that has already claimed 11 lives and infected over a thousand locals in Jajarkot district in the last three weeks.

On Sunday, samples of blood, cough and stools belonging to the patients suffering from the mysterious disease were sent to the National Public Health Laboratory in Teku, Kathmandu from Jajarkot district. The lab had not made any announcements related to the test till Monday evening.

The samples were collected by a team of doctors who had accompanied Minister for Health and Population Khagaraj Adhikari from Kathmandu.

According to Dr Baburam Marasini, director of the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, the samples brought to the capital on Sunday were sent to the laboratory Monday morning.

Even the specialists deployed at the affected villages are awaiting the results from the lab test. They suspect the disease to be either viral influenza, or swine flu, or typhoid.

Meanwhile, District Health Office (DHO), Jajarkot is planning to carry out health camps to properly treat the infected locals, according to Krishna Bahadur Khatri, a health officer, who is responsible for executing epidemic disease control programs in the district.

The concerned authorities took the outbreak seriously only after two weeks following extensive media coverage. Only after the hubbub in the media did Health Minister Adhikari fly to the affected area in a Nepal Army chopper, accompanied by doctors and medicines for patients. Thousands of infected locals have finally obtained access to doctors and medical treatment services upon the minister's visit.

The disease broke out during the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examinations and has claimed 11 lives in the district so far. It has also infected over 1,500 people in the remote villages, including Archhani, Tale Gaun, Sakla, and Pajaru.

Severe headache, cough, and fever, among others, are the symptoms of the disease. The disease has been spreading at an alarming rate, according to doctors.

The epidemic is supposed to be the result of unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation in the affected areas. If that is the case, the past efforts of the government and non-government agencies seem worthless, according to stakeholders.

But the latest report shows that the district has maintained better status of drinking water and sanitation, with coverage at 81.21 percent.