Imphal, Mar 4 : The Manipur medical directorate yesterday rushed a medical team to a remote hill village, New Wahong, in Ukhrul district to investigate claims by villagers that a mysterious disease there has killed four children.
The team headed by Dr Premchand Singh, the chief medical officer of Ukhrul district, rushed to the village and is yet to return and submit a report to the directorate.
The villagers over the past few days brought eight children to the district hospital at Ukhrul town and reported to the medical officials there that an unknown disease has infected several villagers and even claimed lives of four children.
The patients have the symptoms similar to dysentery and excessive vomiting.
The directorate decided to rush a medical team yesterday because of the increase in number of patients brought to the district hospital.
The village, in Chingai sub-division around 80km north of Ukhrul town, is in a remote area, where medical facilities are not available.
“Following the reports we rushed a medical team yesterday to the village. The team is yet to return and submit a report. Until we receive its report we can’t say anything,” a senior official at the medical directorate here said.
“We will take all necessary steps to check the disease if there is an outbreak. However, we need to first identify the disease and its cause,” he said.
Issac Mashangva, president of Raphei Katamnao Long, a student body, appealed to the government to take measures on a war footing to contain the “outbreak” of the disease.