Dehradun, September 1: After Uttarakhand health minister Dhan Singh Rawat took cognisance of an alleged "mystery fever" and organised a camp, at least 220 people were found suffering from fever, cough and headache in Pauri district.

Blood samples of 20 infected patients were collected to find out the ailment the people were suffering from, said Dr Ankit Dhawan who was part of the team which visited Taali village. The doctor said it may take another three days for test results to come so that they can ascertain the cause behind the mass fever. African Swine Fever Case Detected in Kerala’s Wayanad

Rapid antigen tests of seven infected villagers were also conducted to check if the villagers were suffering from COVID-19, but results came out  negative. African Swine Fever Kills Over 800 Pigs in Jharkhand's Ranchi District

According to health department, chances of Covid spreading in that part of the district are slim as the region is seldom visited by outsiders. Also, people living in the region hardly travel out, which further reduces the chances of a Covid spread

"We are yet to decipher the disease and its exact cause. Blood sample reports are awaited. Prima facie, it appears to be a viral infection. Fortunately, none of the infected villagers are in a bad shape,” Dr Praveen Kumar, Pauri's chief medical officer, said to TOI.

However, anxious parents have stopped sending their children to school due to fear of infection.

The Uttarakhand health department team which visited the Taali village also held a counselling session for students to prevent any panic reaction.

The health department team gave preventive medicines to families and they were asked to wear masks as a precautionary measure.

The authorities also asked local health workers  to distribute medicines in the neighbouring Dobri village as well.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 01, 2022 08:59 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).