14 including six children killed as 'mysterious fever' grips Gujarat, govt deploys medical teams to affected areas

As many as 14 people including six children have been killed as a 'myseterious fever' has gripped the Lakhpat and Abdasa talukas of Kutch district, Gujarat, Times of India has reported. 

In order to combat the situation, the state government led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has deployed 50 medical teams to the affected areas. Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel chaired a review meeting with the concerned officials to take stock of the situation and ongoing measures. 

The Health Minister reported that 48 new cases of fever had been identified in the region between September 3 and 10. The government has prepared 100 isolation beds, 30 ventilators, and BiPAP machines at Adani G K General Hospital in a bid to address the crisis, as reported by TOI. 

“We have deputed a cardiologist and two expert physicians along with 50 medical teams led by MBBS doctors in this region for early diagnosis and treatment,” the publication has quoted Rushikesh Patel as saying. 

The minister also urged the residents to seek medical help, in case they experience symptoms of the 'mysterious fever'. He also assured that while the situation is grave, it does not constitute an outbreak like Covid-19. 

Meanwhile, ambulances are also on standby to carry the affected ones to designated hospitals. 

What is the cause of the fever?

Samples from infected patients have been sent to the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) in Gandhinagar and the National Institute of Virology (NIV) for study in Pune to determine the fever's exact cause, TOI has reported. 

Notably, this comes at a time when several districts of Gujarat battled massive flooding, resulting from extremely heavy rainfalls. Following the flooding, several people were relocated while several others lost their lives. 

Some symptoms resemble those of pneumonitis, including -- fever, chills, cough and difficulty in breathing -- eventually resulting in multi-organ failure and death within days.

Gujarat recently faced another outbreak

Gujarat recently battled another outbreak of Chandipura Virus (CHPV) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES), infecting young children and turning fatal within days.

By the end of July, some 140 cases and 59 fatalities were reported from 24 districts in the state.