‘Unknown disease’ in ctg

42 others infected; medical team collects blood samples

Nine children have died of an ‘unknown disease’ in Sitakunda, Chittagong, over the past one week. Several others, suffering from the same mysterious ailment, are also seriously malnourished, said Prof. MA Foyez, former director general of the health department, yesterday. He made this observation after meeting the ailing children admitted to the Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Disease (BITID) at Fouzdarhat and the Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH). Nine children died in the past week, and 42 have been undergoing treatment at the BITID and CMCH after contracting an unknown disease that remained unidentified till the time of filing the report yesterday. Of the 42 infected children, 12 are undergoing treatment at the CMCH and 30 at the BITID.

“Some of these children belong to some migrant families in the Sitakunda hills. The infected ones are of a tender age. Only two of the infected patients are over 16 years. They have fever, body rash, cough and breathing problems. It's extremely unfortunate that nine children have already died,” said MA Foyez.

Preliminary tests revealed that most of the children undergoing treatment are also suffering from serious malnutrition, he added.

“It looks like an infectious disease, which spreads rapidly among children suffering from malnutrition. In the hills, there are typhus and measles. We'll get to know the type of infection after getting the results of necessary tests,” he said.

“The IEDCR has already collected blood and stool samples of the ill children. Several tests at the CMCH have shown that these children have low haemoglobin and are suffering from serious malnutrition. They are being given nutritious food, antibiotics and saline,” he added.  Two of the patients are said to be critically ill.

MA Foyez said some of the tests are being done in Dhaka as the CMCH lacks the facility to perform critical virus tests. “After receiving and analysing the results of the tests, we'll get to know the nature of the infection,” he added.

 

Unknown disease in ctg

42 others infected; medical team collects blood samples

Nine children have died of an unknown disease in Sitakunda, Chittagong, over the past one week. Several others, suffering from the same mysterious ailment, are also seriously malnourished, said Prof. MA Foyez, former director general of the health department, yesterday. He made this observation after meeting the ailing children admitted to the Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Disease (BITID) at Fouzdarhat and the Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH). Nine children died in the past week, and 42 have been undergoing treatment at the BITID and CMCH after contracting an unknown disease that remained unidentified till the time of filing the report yesterday. Of the 42 infected children, 12 are undergoing treatment at the CMCH and 30 at the BITID. Some of these children belong to some migrant families in the Sitakunda hills. The infected ones are of a tender age. Only two of the infected patients are over 16 years. They have fever, body rash, cough and breathing problems. Its extremely unfortunate that nine children have already died, said MA Foyez. Preliminary tests revealed that most of the children undergoing treatment are also suffering from serious malnutrition, he added. It looks like an infectious disease, which spreads rapidly among children suffering from malnutrition. In the hills, there are typhus and measles. Well get to know the type of infection after getting the results of necessary tests, he said. The IEDCR has already collected blood and stool samples of the ill children. Several tests at the CMCH have shown that these children have low haemoglobin and are suffering from serious malnutrition. They are being given nutritious food, antibiotics and saline, he added. Two of the patients are said to be critically ill. MA Foyez said some of the tests are being done in Dhaka as the CMCH lacks the facility to perform critical virus tests. After receiving and analysing the results of the tests, well get to know the nature of the infection, he added.