WB-KALAAZAR

10 adivasis diagnosed with Kala-azar in WB village
    Balurghat (South Dinajpur), Dec 21 (PTI) At least 10
people of an adivasi village in South Dinajpur district's
Kushmandi block have been infected with Kala-azar, officials
said.
    Kala-azar is a form of the disease leishmaniasis
marked by emaciation, anaemia, fever, and enlargement of the
liver and spleen.
    The disease is caused by the bite of infected female
phlebotomine sandflies, an official said.
    The health department has started spraying
insecticides in the village in an effort to stop the disease
from spreading.
    "Workers of the health department have started
visiting villageto give medicines to the infected persons and
their families," the Block Medical Officer of Health (BMOH) of
Kushmandi, Amit Das, said.
    They have also started an awareness camp in the
village, he said.
    "We are keeping a close watch on the families," the
Block Development Officer (BDO) of Kushmandi, Saipa Lama,
said.
    A total of 46 families live in the adivasi village
which is known as Namvyle. PTI CORR
SBN SBN

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)