With the new victims, a total of 76 students were attacked with 'mass hysteria' in last two days in Panchhari upazila. The patients are undergoing treatment at the upazila health complex.

Hospital sources said first of all, Shahana Begum, a student of Class 8 fell unconscious at her Domdom house in Panchhari upazila at about 8 am yesterday. Her sister, Rozina Begum, a married woman fell unconscious with the same symptom within 30 minutes of the incident. She took care of her younger sister Shahana for the last two days, locals said.

Earlier, 40 students were attacked with the disease within two hours on Monday, the school authorities said. Later, they announced closure of the school for three days. The attacked students have undergone treatment at Panchhari Upazila Health Complex.

Gayana Prabat Talukder, Principal of Panchhari Bazar School and College said the students got frightened after the incident. We sent the affected students to hospital immediately after the incident, he said.

Khagrachhari Hill District Council (KHDC) Chairman Monindra Lal Tripura, member Abu Baker Siddique, Civil Surgeon Dr Abu Taher, Upazila Family Planning In charge Dr Shahid Talukder, Dr Rafiqul Islam, Dr Mostafa and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Nesar Ahmed visited the students at the hospital.

Mohammad Noman, an on-duty doctor at Panchhari Upazila Health Complex termed the disease a mental one. It is spreading fast from one person to another, he said.