No case has yet been detected in Kolkata, according to an official.At least 65 cases of black fever or ‘kala-azar’ have been reported from eleven districts of West Bengal in the past couple of weeks, said a senior official of the health department.
According to the official, the maximum number of cases have been reported from Darjeeling, Malda, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur and Kalimpong districts.
“A recent surveillance has led to the detection of 65 cases in 11 districts. Now that these cases have been reported, the state administration will be able to tackle the spread of the disease. It was found that the disease was most prevalent in people having spent considerable time in Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Some individuals from Bangladesh, too, have been showing symptoms of kala-azar. The surveillance will continue tracking other patients,” said the official.
However, no case was reported from Kolkata.
Subscriber Only Stories
“The districts of Bankura, Birbhum, Purulia and Murshidabad have also reported a few cases of black fever mainly transmitted by bites of sandflies infected with the parasite ‘Leishmania donovani’,” said the official.
A top bureaucrat at the state secretariat said the government had taken the decision to treat all diagnosed with the disease “free of cost”.
“Even if the infection is detected in a private laboratory or hospital, the doctor should immediately bring the matter to the attention of the district health officer. All expenses of treatment along with meals will be borne by the state health department. The district chief health officer will monitor the whole process,” said the bureaucrat.
He said arrangements are also being made to provide nutritious food to the patients.
(WITH PTI INPUTS)
- The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards.
