Dengue fear in garden

TT, Jalpaiguri, October 6: Three persons have died of suspected dengue at the Chamurchi Tea Estate in Dhupguri block in the past 24 hours.

Residents of the garden claimed that with the three deaths, the death toll from the fever has increased to 13 in the past one month. They alleged that the district health department had held only one medical camp so far when over 100 residents were down with similar symptoms.

Sources in the district health department said Balbir Biswakarma, 40, a resident of Upper Division Line of the garden, died last night in his home. He was suffering from suspected dengue for the past few days, his family said.

The second person who died was identified as Bosu Mahali, 32, who was a resident of Mahali Line in the garden. Yesterday, he complained of fever and was taken to Banarhat and then to the sub-divisional hospital in Malbazar. He died early this morning.

Binika Lohar, 26, who lived in Gudam Line of the Chamurchi Tea Estate, was suffering from fever for the past few days. Her condition deteriorated yesterday and she was taken to the primary health centre in Banarhat and later to Jalpaiguri district hospital, where she died this morning.

"In the past 24 hours, three persons have died of fever. With these deaths, 13 people have lost their lives in the garden in the past one month and several are suffering from fever. We suspect there has been a dengue outbreak at the garden," said Gafar Ansari, a local Trinamul leader.

Rachna Bhagat, the district magistrate of Jalpaiguri said that the chief medical officer of health has been told to assess the situation and if required, set up medical camps to treat the fever patients. "We have asked the district health officials to visit the garden and find out whether it is a dengue attack or fever of some other kind," she added.