A wave of panic has swept Almora district in Uttarakhand following a suspected viral epidemic that claimed seven lives in just 20 days, leaving health authorities and residents alarmed. The abrupt increase in death due to fever has left the district administration launching a comprehensive probe and emergency health initiatives to detect the cause and stop the spread.
Most of the victims were rural residents living around Almora town, having previously suffered from fever, weakness, and respiratory distress before dying of the disease, according to local accounts. Deaths have not yet been confirmed by health authorities as having been caused by dengue, scrub typhus, influenza, or some new viral infection, although intensified medical testing and surveillance have been ordered throughout the region.
Almora Chief Medical Officer (CMO) authenticated that teams have been sent to infected villages to take samples and undertake door-to-door medical checks. “We are keeping a close eye on the situation. Blood samples were referred to state laboratories for testing, and preventive measures are being implemented,” said an official.
Hospitals in Almora and surrounding districts have witnessed a rush of patients with symptoms of viral fever, adding more burden to healthcare facilities. Doctors have warned citizens to be careful, keep themselves clean, and not resort to self-medication. Local authorities also recommended mosquito repellents, boiling drinking water, and reporting any recurrent fever or rash to the nearest health centers immediately.
Meanwhile, the state health department has instructed district hospitals to keep sufficient stock of basic medicines, scale up testing facilities, and provide beds for patients with fever and respiratory problems. Special medical camps are also being organized in the most affected villages of the suspected outbreak.
Locals, however, have complained about the delay in knowing the cause of the illness. “People are getting sick on a daily basis. We want clear answers and quicker medical response,” complained a resident of Takula block, one of the localities seeing multiple cases.
As authorities wait for the confirmation of test results, precautionary efforts are being strengthened to avoid any further loss of life. The state government has also called for assistance from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to assist in identifying the nature of the virus and suggest containment measures.
While Uttarakhand fights fluctuating weather patterns and increasing instances of seasonal illness, health officials are in a sprint to limit what would otherwise become a broader outbreak.
