Two people died of an unknown disease at Moheshpur upazila in Jhenaidah and some 14 other people were also affected within a week. Two medical teams have been formed to identify the disease.
The deceased are Asma Khatun, 22, daughter of Abu Hossain of Samanta village in Moheshpur, and Enamul Haque, 27, son of Nur Islam of Samanta Natunkola village of the same upazila. Locals and hospital sources said Asma Khatun was admitted to Moheshpur Upazila Health Complex on March 29 where she died the next day.
Enamul was taken to the health complex with similar symptoms and then transferred to Jessore General Hospital on March 30 where he died the day after.
Upazila health and family planning officer (UHFPO) in Moheshpur Dr Tahazzel Hossain said the physicians in Jessore misdiagnosed the disease as chicken pox adding that the symptoms of the disease were similar to those of chicken pox.
When contacted, Jhenaidah civil surgeon Dr Abdus Salam said they had formed a three-member committee with UHFPO Dr Tahazzel Hossain as chairman of the committee. They will visit the area and submit their report to the civil surgeon office.
Some locals were fearing an outbreak of swine flu but the district civil surgeon said there was nothing to be worried about as no other people were affected by the disease in the last few days.
Meanwhile, a five-member medical team headed by a medical officer of ICDDRB Dr Mahbubur Rahman has been investigating a similar patient Sakhina Khatun at Jhenaidah General Hospital.
