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Another falls victim to mystery disease

A woman on Monday succumbed to the plague-like disease at a Chandigarh hospital. The latest death takes the toll to four, even as no fresh cases were reported from the affected villages in Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal.

Thirty-one-year-old Anu succumbed to the disease at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, where two of her relatives are struggling for life.

The condition of two patients in the institute was "serious", PGIMER Director S K Sharma said.

The Himachal government had taken preventive measures, treating the contagious disease which broke out in Rohroo subdivision of Shimla district as a pneumonic plague, state Health Minister J P Nadda said.

Sharma said more tests were required to determine the nature of the disease. A molecular characterisation of the bacteria is being done and a report from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases is expected by Tuesday.

Even though the disease has many symptoms identical to plague, "it is still pre-mature to call it so", he said. "We have to follow WHO guidelines and other criteria before we can come out with a final picture," he added.

One Randhir Singh of Himachal was the first victim of the disease. A woman from Uttaranchal, who had attended Randhir's funeral, developed plague-like symptoms after returning to her village and died. Randhir's wife also succumbed to the disease.

Nadda, who returned to Shimla after visiting the affected villages in Rohroo subdivision, said the state government has taken preventive measures.

He told reporters that last patient was admitted to Civil Hospital, Rohroo, on February 14. "The fact that no fresh case was reported since then indicates that the disease has been contained and controlled following the measures taken by the state government, including quarantining of affected villages," he said.

All persons who had come into contact with Randhir, the first victim, have been identified.

At present, six patients are being treated at the PGIMER, four in Civil Hospital, Rohroo and one in Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, he said.

Nadda said specific and prophylactic treatments were being given to the people in Gallu and other villages in Jubbal area and Chanpur Kelwein Logga in Kotgarh Bhanpur of Uttranchal. Necessary disinfective process have also been undertaken to cover the general population.

He said 675,000 capsules, tablets and antibiotics were sent to the affected areas and 17,000 people had collected the medicines. Medical workers were visiting every house in the subdivision and the entire area had been disinfected.

Preliminary investigations have indicated that the disease broke out due to bacterial infection, which affected the respiratory system.

Nadda said that the Himachal government will foot the bill of the patients admitted to the PGIMER.

The Solan Deputy Commissioner, on the direction of the state government, has distributed Rs 50,000 each to the patients, he said.

Nadda parried a direct reply when asked whether the National Institute of Communicable Diseases had declared it as plague.

"All steps have been taken keeping in view the contagious nature of the disease. Medical teams are keeping close watch on the situation and they will remain in the area. The high alert will also continue," he said.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has been apprised of the latest situation, he added.

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