Samples to be sent abroad for test

The samples of urine, stool and blood of the patients and tube-well water, pond water and food items consumed by the 'viral encephalitis' patients will be sent abroad for clinical tests.
It will be done to ascertain what kind of virus had attacked, director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control & Research (IEDCR), Professor Mahmudur Rahman said at a press briefing at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital yesterday afternoon.
A five-member team headed by Dr Abdul Malek, senior scientific officer of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control & Research (IEDCR) went to the affected villages in Companiganj yesterday to collect samples of vomit, urine, tube-well water, pond water, vegetables and etc consumed by the locals.
In last week, the team collected samples from the villages of Gowainghat upazila.
With an all-out supervision and treatment of the patients at hospital, the situation is almost under control, Dr Mahmudur said, adding that they are now sure it is not due to attack by Nipa virus.
There was no report of any new death by the disease yesterday, Sylhet Civil surgeon Dr AZ Mahbub Ahmed said.
However, with six more patients from Companiganj upazila getting admitted into Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital yesterday evening, the number of encephalitis patients undergoing treatment there stood at 49.