Gujarat Hepatitis B death toll rises to 43

In the wake of Hepatitis B death which has now risen to 43 in the Sabarkantha district of western state Gujarat, a massive vaccination programme has reached about 60,000 people on Monday.

On Monday alone five people succumbed to death, and repeated death cases have made people of the region to come forward and get themselves vaccinated in the first phase at all 60 vaccination booths set-up by the state health department.

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The second dose of the Hepatitis B vaccination will be given after 30 days and the third be administered after 60 days. The vaccination drive will also cover other affected regions of Modasa town and surrounding villages in the next couple of days, informed the District Health Officer.

Meanwhile, scores of people are under medical supervision at various hospitals. As per state government claim, 224 medical teams have been deployed in the affected areas of the district. The health officials have also claimed to have circulated 30,000 pamphlets to create public awareness on hepatitis B.

According to World Health Organisation, Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease. The virus is transmitted through contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person, though not through casual contact.

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) can also be transmitted through unprotected sex, blood transfusions, use of contaminated needles, perinatal or from mother to baby at birth. Its transmission is same as the case of HIV, however, HBV is considered 50 to 100 times more infectious.

The life threatening virus cause an acute illness with weeks-long symptoms like fever, extreme fatigue, muscle or joint pain, loss of appetite, dark urine, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

The negligence of private hospitals and carelessness of doctors has further added to patients’ woe. According to a report, the number of infected people increased due to the malpractice of a local doctor, who used an infected syringe, causing the outbreak. The unhygienic conditions of public hospitals and surrounding areas and roads need immediate attention of the authority.