New Delhi: In a recent tragic development, twelve individuals, including four children under the age of 12, have died in Lakhpat taluka, located in Gujarats Kutch district. This follows severe rainfall that hit the region days earlier. Initial reports suggest that pneumonitis is the primary cause of these deaths. However, there is some uncertainty among local officials about the exact nature of the illness.Medical response amid ongoing investigationFollowing the deaths, medical teams have been dispatched to intensify health services in the affected area. According to the sources, Kutch Collector Amit Arora announced that 22 surveillance teams, comprising doctors and health professionals, are actively working to address the situation. The teams are conducting tests and collecting samples to rule out other potential causes such as H1N1, swine flu, Crimean-Congo fever, malaria, and dengue.“The primary cause of death appears to be pneumonitis,” Arora stated. “It does not seem to be due to contamination or a communicable disease. We have deployed rapid response teams and additional health staff from community health centers and Rajkot PDU medical college.”Rising of concerns in the communityLocal district panchayat members have raised concerns about the accuracy of the diagnosis. Meenaba Jadeja, a panchayat member, reported that 12 individuals in the 5-50 age group died from fever between September 3 and 9 in various villages within Lakhpat taluka. The patients experienced symptoms such as fever, cold, cough, and difficulty breathing.Former Lakhpat panchayat member Hussain Rayma added that patients initially received treatment at a private hospital in Vermanagar, were later transferred to Dayapar CHC, and ultimately to Bhuj general hospital. Despite this, the patients did not recover.Symptoms found in peopleResidents of Lakhpat reported that patients exhibited a range of troubling symptoms, including fever, cold, cough, pneumonia, and difficulty breathing. This has raised significant concerns among local officials and health authorities. District panchayat member Mamd Jung Jat noted that despite rigorous medical efforts, doctors have struggled to diagnose the exact nature of the illness affecting the community. This lack of a definitive diagnosis has only intensified the urgency to determine the cause and prevent further casualties.
