PHULBANI: Panic gripped the inmates of Ranipathar Sevashram under Khajuripada block after 69 of them were found to be suffering from malaria.
Reports stated that there are nearly 143 students in the sevashram and 12 of them complained of high fever on Saturday. Though a block level doctor treated them in the sevashram, seven of them had to be admitted to Phulbani hospital as their condition deteriorated.
After their blood test report confirmed them to be suffering from malaria, Kandhamal CDMO Jatindra Kumar Patnaik visited the sevashram with a team of doctors on Sunday. The team collected blood samples of 62 other inmates who had complained of fever and the test reports confirmed malaria. Sources said they are being treated at the sevashram by a team of doctors and the condition of some of them is stated to be improving.