Schools shut after five die of suspected viral fever

SURKHET, Sept 2: All schools have been shut in Lalikanda VDC of Dailekh district where five people, including a one-year-old baby, died of suspected viral fever in just two days this week.



All ten schools, including two higher secondary, in Lalikanda VDC will remain shut for at least one week from Sunday. [break]



“We decided to shut all schools in our village after many students caught fever. Some of them even fainted in classrooms on Friday,” Chakra BC, chairman of School Management Committee of Shanti Higher Secondary School in Lalikanda VDC-6, told Republica over phone on Saturday.



On Saturday, District Public Health Office (DPHO) of Dailekh sent a medical team to Lalikanda VDC where nearly 300 people have fallen sick due to viral fever in the last one week. Only two days ago, a team consisting of Assistant Health Workers (AHW) had also reached Lalikanda VDC.



“We will organize a health camp on Sunday in Lalikanda VDC to provide medical treatment to as many people as possible,” the DPHO Dailekh chief Dr Khagendra Jung Shah said.



Meanwhile, according to Ilam-based Republica correspondent Bhim Chapagain, around 100 people are visiting Ilam District Hospital every day with viral fever. The District Hospital, which has 15 beds, has added 50 temporary beds on the hospital to provide treatment to patients. However, some beds have been shared by two patients.

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