Gandhinagar, Feb 19: The death toll from hepatitis in Gujarat has risen to 25, with Sabarkantha's Modasa taluka reporting one more death due to the acute infectious disease, officials said, as the government dispatched medical teams to the region to tackle the situation.
Six deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours and seven new cases of hepatitis identified, all from Modasa, they said.
With this, the number of hepatitis cases registered in Sabarkantha has gone up to 77, the officials said adding that over 50 persons are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in the district.
The issue of hepatitis outbreak in Sabarkantha was raised in the Assembly today by MLAs under Rule 116 (short call notice).
Replying to queries, Health Minister Jaynarayan Vyas said as per the figures available with him, 19 people have died due to hepatitis-B infection in Sabarkantha.
He said that 224 medical teams have been deployed in the district, where 115 village have been surveyed.
The Minister said the Health Department has filed an FIR against seven private medical practitioners, charging them with negligence. They have been booked under Medical Practitioners Act for illegal medical practices.
Bureau Report