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NICD team in Shimla
Mystery fever toll 11
Tribune News Service

Shimla, September 18
The team of the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), which arrived here today to investigate the cause of the mystery fever, may take a week to arrive at any definite conclusion. The fever has claimed 11 lives so far with Surjit Singh, who was brought to hospital last evening, succumbing to the disease today.

The four-member team comprising Dr Arvind Rai, Joint Director of the NICD, Dr Avdesh Kumar, an epidemiologist from the NICD, Dr M.L. Chug, a senior specialist in internal medicine, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, and Mr Mahadev from the National Institute of Virology, Pune, held discussions with doctors of IGMC Hospital and examined the patients. It was informed that the disease was neither an epidemic nor contagious. The patients who were brought to the hospital in the early stage had been treated successfully.

The team sought details of the clinical profile and the demographic profile of the patients, besides the investigations conducted and the treatment provided to them. Besides, the 30 blood samples collected by the hospital, the team will also take along samples of urine and throat swabs for conducting diagnostic tests.

The team also plans to visit the area from where a sizeable number of patients were referred to hospital to have an idea about the environmental conditions.

Dr Arvind Rai said detailed laboratories investigations were required to reach a conclusion.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, also visited the hospital. He was told that during the past few days 64 patients had been brought to the hospital out of which 11, who were in advanced stage of the disease, had died. The patients were responding to treatment.

The Chief Minister directed the hospital authorities to provide good treatment.