It has been reported that five people have so far died of an unknown disease in a remote village in Chandabi Ghat Para of No. 4 Bhushanchhara Union of Barkal Upazila of Rangamati District.
More than 10 to 13 villagers are affected by the disease in the area, sources said.
According to the locals, an outbreak of an unidentified ailment started in January of this year. The symptoms of the disease include aches in body, high fever, nausea, and vomit with blood.
Barkal Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Mongkaching (Sagar) said, “The chairman of the upazila parishad has informed me about the matter. Earlier, no one had informed us in this regard. We have received reports of five deaths so far. We have formed a medical team of six members after discussing with senior officials and civil surgeon of Dhaka on Thursday. The medical team has left in the evening.”
“It is too late to get the news, the area is very remote, and we have already arranged to send a medical team and are trying to find out the causes behind deaths. But I think it was food poisoning,” said Rangamati Civil Surgeon Dr. Nihar Ranjan Nandi.
The disease is a result of cutting an old banyan tree in that neighborhood is a superstition, he continued.
