‘Mystery Fever’ Infects Hundreds in India’s Uttar Pradesh, More Than 100 Deaths Estimated

The “mystery fever” in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh continues to wreak havoc as hundreds of sick are admitted to hospitals. The federal government has rushed an expert team to investigate the root cause of the spread of infections.

According to reports, more than 400 people, including 40 children, have been hospitalised in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh and more than 100 have died. The Indian daily ‘Times of India’ quoted sources saying that at least 5,000 people in the state’s Firozabad district are bedridden with a fever at home or in private hospitals.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state government has not yet released any official numbers.

If the media reports are to be believed, the death toll from the fever in Firozabad district has increased to 67 including 50 children, and 14 people in Mathura and eight in Mainpuri have succumbed to the fever. Apart from this, several deaths have been reported from other parts of western Uttar Pradesh.

The increasing number of cases has sparked fear among the state’s inhabitants. However, the doctors are trying to control the panic by stating that these are just seasonal cases of viral fever.

​As the cases increase, the administration has suspended three doctors including a public health expert, on charges of laxity.

On Thursday, the federal ministry of health and family welfare rushed an expert team comprising officials for the National Centre for Disease and Control (NCDC) and National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) to the worst affected Firozabad district. The team will analyse the mystery fever.

A top official of the federal ministry said: “The cases are largely of dengue fever and scrub typhus.”

Sourse: sputniknews.com