Two die, dozens ill from unidentified disease in Gorkha district

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With no mention of symptoms, it is pointless to even speculate as to that this could be. The mention of a fatality within an hour of onset is a bit odd, and the mention of seven ill family members could suggest a common exposure, or contagion.

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?glide=EH-20100805-27286-NPL

At least two persons were killed at Machakhola area in Gorkha due to an unidentified disease, it was reported on Thursday. The deceased have been identified as 60-year-old Chalne Gurung, and 30-year old Kul Bahadur Gurung, local residents of Gumda VDC. The people of the Macchekhola, Khanibesi and Lapsibot of the same VDC have been suffering from the unknown disease since the past 10 days. According to local resident Tulsing Gurung Chalne Gurung died within an hour after suffering from the disease while Kulbahadur died within 24 hours. More than 24 people were suffering from the disease. Among them seven of them were family members of Chalne Gurung. However Gunaraj Lohani, head of district health centre and Gorkha Hospital said he was unaware about the disease. Gumda VDC is two days’ walk from the district headquarters. Last year at least 23 persons were killed within a month due to diarrhea in the VDC.

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Re: Two die, dozens ill from diarrheal illness in Gorkha district

And the illness is diarrheal. There are some odd symptoms mentioned in this article as well, but given the tone of the article below, it is possible that the villagers have added any other symptoms they might be having to the complaint.

With the rapidity of the fatalities, cholera is highly suspect, IMO.

http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=21892

Diarrhea kills four in Gorkha
SAMUNDRA POUDEL

TANAHUN, Aug 5: Four people have died of diarrhea in the northern Gorkha in the past two weeks. Of the dead, two were from Gumda VDC and two from Kashigaon VDC. An additional 40 persons in the two VDCs have fallen ill.

Those dead have been identified as 60-year-old Chalmaya Gurung of Gunda-5, 30-year-old Kul Bahadur Gurung of Gumba-6, Ait Singh Ghale of Kashigaon-1 and 40-year-old Kanchi Gurung, also of Kashigaon-1.

Chalmaya died within an hour after complaining of diarrhea, while Kul Bahadur died within 24 hours, according to Tul Singh Gurung, a local. Assistant Health Worker (AHW) Laxman Ghale of Kashigaon said Chalmaya and Ait Singh died in their houses, while Kul Bahadur and Kanchi died at a local sub-health post while receiving treatment.

Kul Bahadur died on Wednesday.

All seven family members of Chalmaya are also suffering from diarrhea.

Villagers are terrified, especially because there are no doctors in these villages.

According to AHW Ghale, residents of these villages generally visit faith healers first, and come to health posts only after their conditions worsen. “Patients are showing vomiting and diarrhea symptoms,” he said. They also complain of headaches, throat aches, body aches, and cough.

“So far, they are receiving medicines available at the sub-health post. But the medicines are enough for around 20 people only,” he said. The District Public Health Office (DPHO) has been informed about the situation.

Dr Gunaraj Lohani, chief of DPHO, said he can confirm only two deaths. According to Lohani, three health workers left for the affected villages on Thursday. In addition, a team headed by a doctor will be dispatched on Friday.

One has to walk for two days from the district headquarters to reach the villages.

Last year, diarrhea killed 13 people in Gumda VDC

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Re: Two die, dozens ill from unidentified disease in Gorkha district

http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/news-archive/19-general/8128-four-more-die-of-diarrhea-in-gorkha.html

Four more die of diarrhea in Gorkha
Thursday, 05 August 2010 17:54
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In the wake of reports of diarrhea outbreak in many parts of the country which has claimed dozens of lives and affected hundreds, four more persons died of the disease in remote Gorkha district on Thursday.
The victims of the latest diarrhea outbreak in Gumda and Kashigaun VDC of the district have been identified as Chalmaya Gurung, 60, Kul Bahadur Gurung, 30, Aitsingh Ghale, 12, of Kashigaun and Kanchi Gurung, 40.

The otherwise easily curable disease which has taken the form of epidemic in the two VDC's has also affected more than a dozen people.

Reports said that the victims died due to lack of any treatment. Locals fear that many more in their village would die of the disease if the government doesn't act soon.

Many health check posts in remote parts of Nepal are devoid of sufficient health professional including doctors and sometime they even lack simple medicines such as cetamol. nepalnews.com