Imphal, February 08: Following outbreak of a yet to be confirmed disease in a remote Tamenglong district village that had assumed epidemic proportion and reportedly claiming one life, the State Government has set up a health team to assess and tackle the situation.

Conveying preparedness of the Government to send a medical/health team tomorrow to Kuilong area from where the disease is said to be spreading , Chief Medical Officer of Tamenglong district K Menjor Singh said the team composed of medical officer and para-medical staff from Tamei sub-division would investigate the disease outbreak in all its dimension in addition to initiating awareness programme on hygienic living in the affected village that accommodates 125 households.

Information provided by secretary information and publicity of the All Zeliangrong Students' Union (Assam, Manipur & Nagaland) NZ Achapbou suggested that fever, headache, stomach pain and nausea are the main symptoms of the disease that had been confronting the villagers since November last.

Recounting that at least one or two member in every Kuilong household had been affected by the disease, the student activist identified one Pouhotdinbou Panmei (39) as the first victim claimed by the unknown disease in November.

The said disease is informed to have spread to the neighbouring villages of Lemta, Dumong, Makuilong and Illei while two infected persons evacuated from the affected villages are currently undergoing treatment at the Catholic Medical Centre, Koirengei.

Compounding the villagers' distress is said to be transport bottlenecks and health care inadequacy in Tamei sub-division with the villagers gripped in fear and anxiety on who the next victim would be, according to Achapbou who desired that State Government take appropriate measures to mitigate sorrowful time staring against the villagers.

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