Kala Azar affects 252 people in West Bengal district
By IANSWednesday, July 28, 2010
KOLKATA - At least 252 people have been afflicted by Kala Azar in West Bengal’s Malda district this year, a medical officer said Wednesday.
“Six to seven blocks in Malda district are prone to Kala Azar. This year 252 people have been affected,” Chief Medical Officer of Health (Malda) Srikanta Roy told IANS over phone.
However, locals claimed that more than 300 people have been laid low by the disease caused by a parasite, Leishmania donovani, in the last one month.
The potentially fatal disease affects the internal organs, particularly the liver, spleen, bone marrow and lymph nodes.
Roy said that between January and June, 150 people tested positive for Kala Azar. “We conducted door-to-door survey between June 21 and July 5 and detected 102 more patients,” he added.
Roy said special medical teams have been set up for treating the patients.
