Search the Internet          Tips

Siliguri residents in grip of fear psychosis

A fear psychosis appears to have gripped the residents of Siliguri town following the increase in deaths due to a contagious undiagnosed fever. According to North Bengal Medical College sources, the toll has risen to 31 with five more patients falling victim to the mysterious disease since Thursday.

There are reports of a few residents fleeing Siliguri as well, though the West Bengal health ministry has denied them as mere rumours. However, people are being seen moving around the town with a mask on their faces fearing infection.

Two senior doctors, who arrived in Calcutta on Friday morning, told rediff.com, "The situation is getting out of control and many more deaths are likely to occur in the next few days since the disease is yet to be diagnosed."

Pleading anonymity, they revealed that one of their colleagues too had succumbed to the deadly disease on Thursday.

"Even doctors are scared to go anywhere near to the patients fearing infection. Other than the two of us, many senior medical experts have also fled Siliguri," they said.

However, the state Health Minister Partha De said, "Such reports are misleading and press should avoid sensationalism."

De admitted that even medical experts who had landed in Siliguri following outbreak of the mysterious fever had failed to correctly diagnose the disease.

"Several teams of medical experts, including from the World Health Organisation and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, are already in Siliguri to assist the virologists there. We are awaiting an accurate diagnosis, which would enable us to evolve the correct method of treatment," he said.

"Reports of people fleeing the town are not true. Even Group D government employees are reporting for work. Our reports say that of the total 32 cases reported so far, only 16 have died. The health ministry is worried, optimistic about a quick solution for this impasse," De said.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, the Calcutta-based School of Tropical Medicines had to reject the samples sent from Siliguri for examination saying they had reached Calcutta in a spoiled condition.

And contrary to what De would have people believe, his colleague and Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Asok Bhattacharya had on Wednesday put the toll at 21.

Infuriated over the doctors' inability to control the spread of the mysterious fever, tension is brewing amongst the people. Over 500 people protested outside the Siliguri Municipality on Thursday vandalising the mayor's office accusing government doctors of being 'apathetic' to the situation.

The Trinamul Congress has grabbed the opportunity the deaths have provided in view of the impending assembly elections. It party has decided to launch massive protests across the state demanding the removal of De, Bhattacharya and Director of Medical Education Shyamal Sen.

Talking to rediff.com, head of the Trinamul's Doctors' Cell Dr Sudipta Roy alleged that Sen had committed a 'criminal act' by suppressing facts related to the disease.

"Sen had visited Siliguri only a fortnight ago when the spread of disease was still in its infancy. He told the doctors in Siliguri not to declare the severity of the disease," Roy alleged.

"We believe that things have come to such a pass only because of gross negligence. Sen should be arrested immediately and removed from his post," Roy added.

Roy accused De of making false statements alleging that the Medinova Nursing Home in Siliguri alone had reported 26 deaths. According to him, the toll is likely to be much higher.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya is likely to visit Siliguri on Sunday.

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report