JAJARKOT, Jan 6: As many as nine people including five children have succumbed to viral fever coupled with cough and cold in Jajarkot in the last week.

According to in-charge of Badkule Majakot Health Post, Hari Bahadur Singh, five children and four others died after they were bedridden for several days because of viral fever and cough and cold. 

The deceased were Dhanasara Nath, 65, Aaiti Diruwa, 65, and Sattarup Sahi, 75 of Majakot and Karsingh Tamata, 52 of Syala. However, the identities of the other deceased children are yet to be ascertained. 
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"All of them died last week. Likewise, dozens of locals have already been affected by viral fever," he said. As a result, the health post on Saturday set up health camps in affected villages for the treatment of the ill persons. Around 150 patients affected by viral fever turned up on a single day. 

Singh said as many as 60 patients are visiting the health post on a daily basis and the number of patients is increasing rapidly. 

Kashi Ram Neupane, a local said that the viral fever patients are increasing in several villages of the district. "In Juni, Chade, Kapra, Badkule, Kakrigau, Majekot, Aalimaugana, Parale and Dadhakot villages, people have been affected by viral fever. The most-affected villages are Juni, Chade and Majekot. In these villages, as many as four family members of a single household have fallen ill," he added. 

According to locals, those affected by viral fever have symptoms like throat irritation, dry cough, headache, muscle cramps, sweating and fever. "Similar symptoms are being seen in villagers in other villages including Chhedagau and Tikachaur," Neupane said. 

Chief of District Health Office Ram Bahadur Nepali said that the office has already deployed teams of lab technicians under the leadership of lab technician Krishna Bahadur Khatri in the affected villages to figure out the possible cause of the deaths and illness. “

"We suspect that the viral fever is the Influenza virus type 'A' (H1N1). So, we have sent the necessary kit required for the test," he said, adding, the district office has already taken precautionary measures to avoid the fever turn into an epidemic. 

He said that a separate team led by Dr Pawan Shakya has already been deployed in the affected villages for additional treatment of the patients along with additional medicines. "Since most of the affected villages are in remote areas, it took some time for our teams to reach the patients. By Sunday, our teams will reach almost all affected villages. Plus, we are also investigating whether those said to have died of viral fever have really died of it" he added.

"Similarly, we have already asked the Department of Health and Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD) for further action," Nepali said.

 
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• nine die
 
• five children
 
• viral influenza