Amid heavy rains and floods in many parts of Gujarat, shocking news came to light on Sunday (September 8). Here in Lakhpat taluka of Kutch district, 12 people died within a week, including four children under the age of 12. Officials said the cause of death appears to be primarily pneumonitis, although it has not been officially confirmed.
At the same time, some local district panchayat members said that the doctors were not able to diagnose the fever correctly, the patients were also having difficulty in breathing. After the uproar caused by the death of 12 people, an alert has been issued in the taluka and adjoining areas.
District Collector Amit Arora said that medical services have been increased in the surrounding villages. We are constantly monitoring the situation. 22 surveillance teams and doctors have been deployed. Apart from this, samples of the remaining people are being collected keeping in mind the threat of H1N1, swine flu, Crimean-Congo fever, malaria, and dengue.
Health experts have appealed to all people to remain alert and immediately consult the experts as soon as they feel any health problem.
12 people died in a week
The District Collector said pneumonitis is being considered as a primary reason for these deaths. It does not seem to be an infectious disease. Health department teams are continuously working in the affected areas.
Kutch District Panchayat member Meenaba Jadeja has said in a letter to Gujarat Congress chief Shaktisinh Gohil that 12 people in the age group of 5-50 have died due to unknown fever between September 3 and 9 in some villages of Lakhpat taluka.
According to another Panchayat member, the people suffering from fever were first admitted to a private hospital in Lakhpat taluka. Then they were taken to Dayapar CHC and finally to Bhuj General Hospital. One patient was also transferred to Ahmedabad.
The patients had symptoms like pneumonia
According to the residents, the patients were having fever, cold, cough, and pneumonia. Some were having difficulty breathing. Another district panchayat member said that the doctors were not able to diagnose the disease accurately, due to which proper treatment could not be done in time.
It is worth noting that health experts have already been alerting people about many types of diseases in flood-affected areas. Many cities of Gujarat have been facing severe floods for the last few weeks. In such areas, the risk of mosquito-borne, contaminated water and food as well as infectious diseases increases.
What is pneumonitis, which is being suspected?
Officials say that pneumonitis may be the main reason for the deaths in Kutch.
Pneumonitis is a problem of inflammation in the lung tissues without any infection. While pneumonia causes inflammation in the tissues due to infection in the lungs, pneumonitis causes inflammation but no infection. Pneumonitis is a condition caused by an acute reaction by the body's immune system.
It can cause people to have trouble breathing and a dry cough. If pneumonitis is not diagnosed or treated early, it can lead to lung damage.
(PC: Freepik)
