Unknown influenza virus kills four children in Naga region

04 September 2018
Unknown influenza virus kills four children in Naga region
Flu has hit villages in the Naga region. Photo: Mizzima

Sagaing Region assembly legislator Seinn Maung from Nanyun constituency said that Lanpan village in Nanyun, Naga had the outbreak of an unknown influenza virus which killed four children.

He told media three children had been accounted for and the fourth died on 2 September.

Lanpan village is in remote area so that the news of outbreak of this virus had reached to authorities concerned only on August 28 and then Sagaing Region assembly legislator and doctors could reportedly make field visit immediately the next day on August 29.

“We could not count the number of patients infected with this virus. We could count only healthy persons and it was 68 who can go here and there without assistance and they are not bed-ridden. The village head told us that only 4-5 youths can move themselves and are healthy,” Sagaing Region Assembly legislator from Nanyun constituency (1) Seinn Maung said.

There is no full-time doctor who can look after them and treat them in the village although the team was able to provide some food supplies for few days.

Similarly seasonal influenza infected 141 people in Nanyun Township in Wun Yoke, Ha Haung, Sheik Nyo villages in August but the health department reached them in time so that there were no reports of deaths at that time.

The Naga area in Sagaing Region had similar respiratory tract related unknown influenza in the past too and it infected hundreds of people and at least 20 people died of this virus.