Hepatitis: death toll rises to 46, vaccination drive stepped

Ahmedabad, Feb 24 (PTI) As health officials in India's
western state of Gujarat stepped up vaccination drive in
hepatitis-hit Modasa town in Sabarkantha district, the death
toll due to the liver disease climbed to 46 with three more
deaths Tuesday.

"Three more deaths were reported today. With this, the
total death figure now stands at 46," Chief District Health
Officer (CDHO), Sabarkantha, H S Patel told PTI.

"Eleven new cases of hepatitis have been reported from
different parts of the district and they have been shifted to
hospitals," Patel said.

The vaccination drive in the North Gujarat district
continued for the second day Tuesday, trying to cover as many
people as possible, he said.

Around 56,000 people were administered hepatitis-B
vaccines in Modasa, the most affected area whose total
population is estimated to be over 60,000.

Meanwhile, a doctor, Govind Patel, and his son
Chintan, who had been booked on the charge of culpable
homicide by the Health Department for using contaminated
syringes, are yet to be arrested.

The district police said the father-son duo was
evading arrest and gone underground.

An FIR was filed against Govind Patel and his son
after investigation by the Health Department showed most of
the people infected with hepatitis in Modasa had taken
treatment from them in the last six months.

The duo have been booked under Section 304 (culpable
homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC as several of the
patients treated at their clinic were found positive for the
viral disease and some of them died.

They have also been booked under IPC Sections 269
(negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous
to life) and 278 (making atmosphere noxious to health).

Police said when the Health Department officials had
raided Patel's clinic they had found used syringes and
undisposed medical waste there. PTI PB
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