Imphal, September 03: A mysteri ous disease which has broken out at Seijang in Imphal East under Lamlai police station has already claimed the lives of two per sons while another two are battling for survival.

With the news reaching the State Health Department an alert has been sounded and process to start investi gations is on.

According to villagers the symptoms of the disease include high temperature, sudden sen sation of chills but feeling no need for quilt or blanket, loss of appetite, sudden fall in blood pressure, loss of consciousness, delusions etc.

The two person who have passed away after showing the said symp toms are Thokchom ongbi Mema (48) of Seijang Awang Leikai (died on July 13) and Ngangkham Joy (45) of the same locality (died on August 28).Villagers said that the sick started showing the symptoms after they had gone to a neighbouring village, Khamsong, to look for work and expressed apprehension that they may have contracted the disease there.

The villagers added that some people of Khamsong were also seen showing the same symptoms.

Interacting with The Sangai Express, elder brother of the deceased Joy, Ngangkham Bhimo said that RIMS doctors had conducted several blood test on his brother to find out the exact nature of the disease.

However no definite result could be obtained, he added.

The final stages of the patient include sudden drop in blood pressure, delusions and sleeplessness.

Joy was first taken to JN Hospital on August 18, said Bhimo and added that he was discharged on August 19 with the doctors giving him a clean chit.

However as there was no improvement, he was taken to RIMS on August 20, recounted Bhimo and added that again a clean chit was given after which they returned home.

Joy's condition deteriorated rapidly on August 22 and his blood pressure nose dived, recalled Bhimo and added that he was rushed to RIMS hospital.

Doctors conducted a series of blood test, but found nothing positive, he added.

As the disease remained a mystery, doctors extracted some fluid from the spinal cord for testing on August 28 at about 3 pm, said Bhimo.

Joy however passed away five minutes after the fluid was extracted.

Husband of the late Mema Devi, Thokchom Maratna said that doctors first administered medicines for fever but there was no improvement.

At the moment two persons Ngangkham Jiten (44) and Thokchom Romesh (18) are ailing showing the same symptoms, said the villagers.

The two have stopped taking the medicines prescribed by doctors and after they stopped taking the medicines, their conditions seem to have improved, claimed the villagers.

As news of the outbreak of the unknown disease reached the State Health Department, a team has been sent there since yesterday to investigate into the matter and verify the type of the disease.

The team visited the two ailing persons at Seijang village yesterday and took their blood samples.

A second blood sample was taken from them today too.

The samples will be sent to Kolkata for further testing.

Till date there is no report of the disease spreading to others.

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