Panic in Thakurgaon village as unknown disease leaves 5 dead

Five people of a family died from unidentified disease with span of 15 days at Marichpara village bordering India under Baliadangi upazila of Thakurgaon district. Four others are taking treatment after being infected. The villagers are panicked at the moment.

The upazila administration has declared the educational institutions closed. Besides, people’s movement was restricted with a radius of one kilometer centering the house where the death occurred.

Upazila education officer Shamsul Alam said, after consultation with the UNO two schools nearby the village were remained closed for Tuesday. Those will be open on Wednesday.

According to the villagers, Yusuf Ali and his younger brother Mehedi Hasan from Marichpara village were admitted at local health complex on Sunday with symptoms of sudden severe fever, severe body pain and itching. While shifting for better treatment in Rangpur Medical College Hospital Yusuf died on the way. Later Mehedi died while undergoing treatment in the hospital.

On February 21 after being infected with fever and pain Yusuf’s mother Hosne Ara and brother in law Habibur Rahman died. Earlier after being infected with this kind of disease Yusuf’s father Abu Taher died on February 9.

At present three of the family members, one neighbor and an ambulance driver are infected with the disease. Of them four are undergoing treatment in Rangpur Medical College Hospital.

In this regard Baliadangi Dhantala union council Chairman Samar Kumar Chatterjee said, local people are panicked following the death one by one. People are advised for not travelling area near the house. People are also advised to wear musk while movement.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Masudur Rahman Masud said, as an immediate step ban was imposed over people’s movement with one kilometer radius centering the house where death occurred. Village police were deployed in the area to prevent people going there. Besides, 2 hundred musks were distributed. A control room was opened to provide treatment for round the clock and a medical team was placed.

In this regard Acting Civil Surgeon of Thakurgaon Dr. Md. Shahjahan Newaz said, an expert team of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) from Dhaka has arrived in the area to investigate the incident.

AH