Mystery fever kills 116 in UP

SPREADS TO DOZEN DISTRICTS, CENTRE SENDS TEAM

The mystery fever has created havoc in over a dozen districts of Uttar Pradesh claiming 116 lives so far. Mainly, children have succumbed to the ailment. Firozabad, unfortunately, leads the toll chart with 80 deaths while in Mainpuri 20 and Mathura 12 children have died so far.

Beginning from Firozabad district in west UP, the fever has now spread to more than 14 districts, including Lucknow and Kanpur. Alarmed over situation, the Centre has sent a team of experts to Firozabad, which will submit its report. The central team includes members from National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) who have been monitoring the cases in Firozabad closely. According to the Principal Secretary, Health, Amit Mohan Prasad, the government is making all efforts to control disease and situation will be under control in the next 3-4 days.

While the experts found spread of scrub typhus in Firozabad, Mathura and Agra, in Lucknow, Kanpur and few other areas dengue cases have been detected. According to health experts, the 116 deaths have been reported in 4 districts of UP only. Over 600 patients are undergoing treatments in different government hospitals in these districts. In Firozabad, 300 patients have been admitted to hospitals and long queue of patients could be seen in the OPD. The District Magistrate of Firozabad has banned use of coolers to check spread of disease.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has appointed nodal officers in each of the districts of UP to monitor situation. Senior IAS officers have been asked to reach their designated districts soon and make on-spot inspection. The nodal officers have been asked to submit their report in 4 days after reviewing the situation. The DMs of all the 75 districts have been instructed to carry out sanitation drives.

Opposition parties lashed out at the Yogi govt.