IMPHAL, February 1: Over 200 people from Lilong area have been admitted at several health centres including RIMS today in serious condition as the mysterious symptoms, which many believe could be of cholera, continue to spread at an alarming rate in Lilong assembly constituency.
While the total number of people infected by the mysterious disease has reached over 436, experts reportedly has collected samples from the area.
Most of the patients were rushed to nearby PHC and CHC of Lilong today.
It is learnt that around 70 fresh cases with the same symptoms have been admitted to PHC Lilong while some were reportedly discharged today.
Of the total patients around 20 are still undergoing treatment at PHC Lilong, while 45 patients have been referred to RIMS hospital.
Later, more patients from numbering around 200 were referred to RIMS from the CHC Houreibi and other PHCs, after their conditions deteriorated.
Speaking to IFP over the phone, Dr Antas Khan, from Lilong informed that concerned authority and experts had visited the affected area to take stock of the situation.
During the visit the experts have collected samples of stool from patients and water sample of a hand pump which they suspected could be the sources of the epidemic.
Meanwhile, many patients admitted at RIMS had to sleep on the floor as inflow of patients exceeded its capacity.
According to hospital authority over 100 patients are now under treatment at the hospital.
Although the hospital authority could not confirm what the disease was it however ruled out Cholera.
It assumed that the case could be food poisoning due to contamination of harmful mineral in water.
The Medical Superintendent of RIMS also informed that some of the serious patients who were earlier admitted at the hospital have been shifted to private hospital by their families.
Meanwhile, Education minister Moirangthem Okendro who is also the spokesperson of the State government accompanied by Agriculture minister Abdul Nasir and MLA of Sagolband Assembly Constituency RK Imo visited the patients and took stock of the situation at the hospital.
Later, M Okendro commented that the State administration is keeping an eye on the development of the outbreak and will provide all necessary help to patients.
Experts will be consulted to investigate the reason of such outbreaks. All forms of expenditure for the patients admitted will be borne by the State administration, he added.
On the other hand, a patient stated that locals have been using tube-well as their source of potable water and it could be the reason for the outbreak. He added that earlier some ten years back, a similar incident had occurred in the area.
Meanwhile a report stated that the Directorate of Health Services has been providing all forms of support to affected villagers. A specialist physician has been put to service for 24 hours in the Lilong PHC and the same service has been activated for hospitals in Thoubal.
To determine the root cause of the outbreak samples has been collected for investigation and testing, added the source.
On hearing of the mysterious outbreak, Th Chaoba president BJP Manipur Pradesh also rushed to hospital and visited the patients there.
It may be mentioned that from January 28, a handful of villagers of the area started complaining of vomiting and loose motions. However, the infection spread like wild fire since yesterday bringing the number to around 100 people.