Guwahati: Five suspected fever- and diarrhoea-related deaths in the last 48 hours have sparked a health scare in flood-hit Sivasagar and Charaideo districts.The health department will hold mega camps across affected constituencies from Wednesday. Union health minister JP Nadda and state health minister Ashok Singhal will visit the districts to assess the situation.“There was no disease outbreak, but concern remains due to cases of fever, respiratory tract infections and skin infections in some areas,” a senior health official said.In Charaideo’s Sonari, tea garden worker Ghana Patnaik, employed as a hotel cook, died on Tuesday after developing a fever. He was stranded at the hotel following the July 19 flash flood before being rescued.In Sivasagar’s worst-hit Nazira, Bhagya Gogoi and Mantu Gogoi died on Monday after reportedly suffering from fever and diarrhoea. Bhagya, who survived the flood by climbing onto his house slab, was rescued after 13 hours but later fell ill.“Mantu was suffering from fever and diarrhoea since Sunday. Doctors were treating him, but he could not be saved,” a family member said.Retired police constable Hem Dutta of Sundar Pukhuri Kalita Gaon also died on Monday after suffering from fever. Nitumoni Gogoi, 39, of Nazira’s Sundarpukhuri Holal village died on Sunday following fever.Singhal said around 150 doctors were providing medical services in flood-affected areas, examining patients, distributing medicines and referring serious cases to Jorhat or Dibrugarh.“Specialist doctors from various departments will be present at the camps, which will also offer facilities for different types of medical tests,” he said.Singhal identified dead animals, contaminated water and skin diseases as the three major post-flood health challenges. The department is coordinating with the Public Health Engineering Department to provide potable water.
