IEDCR team visits Thakurgaon after two die of ‘unknown disease’

A team of Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) on Tuesday visited Songaon village in Thakurgaon's Baliadangi upazila where two members of a family died of ‘unidentified disease’ and three others fell sick, according to UNB.

IEDCR member medical officer Omar Kaium, FTPB fellow Kazi Karim Tahmina, medical technologist Kazi Masum and Monir Uddin visited the area at 9:00am while Thakurgaon civil surgeon Md Mahfuzur Rahman Sarker and Baliadangi upazila health and family planning officer Abul Kashem were present.

They collected blood samples for tests from the patients who are now undergoing treatment at Thakurgaon Modern Sadar Hospital.

Earlier on Friday night Mina Begum, 35, wife of Hafizul Islam fell sick suddenly and died in a few minutes while Poshina Begum, wife of Hafizul’s elder brother Hazirul, fell sick on Saturday night and died at home on Sunday night.

Later, Hafizul’s daughter Tanzina Akhter, mother Hazera Begum, 34, and Aleya Akhter, 32, fell sick and were admitted to hospital.

About these patients of the same family, civil surgeon said “They are doing well now and hope they will go home on Tuesday.”

Health department kept the village under surveillance and also suggested the people not be panicked over the incident, he added.

Earlier in 2019, five members of family died from Nipah virus in the same upazila.