Mysterious disease claims two dozen lives in Tripura

Dhalai, Feb 14 (ANI): Health authorities have put Dhalai district in Tripura on high alert after nearly a dozen people died mysteriously in the last fortnight.

The state health department has sent a medical team to the affected areas.

The medical officers have reported that the disease was marked by a sudden onset of fever.

"When we went for field visit we found that people died within 10 to 24 hours after experiencing high fever and some red spots on their bodies," said Paul N Darlong, a medical officer.

The epidemic is affecting the people living in impoverished tribal hamlets with scant health facilities.

Expressing the helplessness of the situation, Uttara Chakma, a villager said, "We do not get any treatment or medicine from anywhere. My husband is ill from last Monday and I also cannot buy medicines because I am a daily labourer."

At least 70 more people are suffering from a similar disease in Longhthorai Valley, an inaccessible area dominated by tribal people, which is some 90 km away from the state capital Agartala.

Federal health department has informed that at least 165 people have died of meningocococcal meningitis, a contagious disease, in three of India's northeastern states -Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram in the past one month.

Of the 165 deaths, 140 were reported from Meghalaya, 15 from Tripura and ten from Mizoram. by Pinaki Das(ANI)