BHAWANIPATNA: As many as four people from tribal-dominated Nehela village in Thuamul Rampur block of Kalahandi have lost their lives to malaria in last 20 days.
A team of health personnel from Thuamul Rampur Community Health Centre (CHC) led by its medical officer Dr Nitish Jha visited the village, which is inhabited by just 30 families, to collect blood samples for testing on September 30.
While 25 persons were found suffering from fever, 10 cases of Malaria Plasmodium Falciparum (PF) and four of Plasmodium Vivax (PV) were detected in the village.
One person also tested positive for Covid-19, said Dr Jha.
This apart, the team also collected samples for dengue test from the village.
Dr Jha said the team gave medicines to the villagers but the latter resist to consume them.
On October 1, the members of the team convinced the villagers and administered the medicines to the affected people.
He said three critically ill patients including a two-month-old baby from the village have been admitted to the Thuamul Rampur CHC for treatment.
Epidemiologist Nihar Thakur said medical teams have also been sent to villagers near Nehela to collect testing and take preventive steps to control the spread of the disease.