Viral fever sweeps across Jaffna peninsula

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 November 2007, 00:34 GMT]
A yet to be identified type of fever is spreading across the peninsula resulting in more than 700 patients being admitted at Jaffna teaching hospital sources close to the office of Director of Public Health services, Jaffna said Sunday. Hospital staff are working round the clock to find hospital beds under limited space and resources to accommodate the growing number of admitted patients, hospital administration officials said.

With the onset of monsoon rains, the viral fever is spreading at an alarming rate affecting a large number of civilians, heath officials said.

The Director of Public Health services, Jaffna confirming the non availability of the vaccine required to curb the spread of the disease stated that the head office of the Ministry of Health has been informed of the situation and an appeal made to rush the basic preventive medicines without delay.

The patients initially admitted to rural hospitals in places such as Manthigai, Valveddiththu'rai, Kayts and Chaavakachcheari have been directed to Jaffna Hospital because of the absence of facilities for testing of blood in these rural hospitals, sources added.