LOWER DIR: Seven people, including five children, have died following the spread of a mysterious fever in the mountainous areas of Khanpur in Adenzai tehsil of Lower Dir district, health officials said.
District Health Officer Dr Niaz Mohammad Afridi said two women and five children were among those who died, with most of the deaths reported in Shadam village.
He said dozens of children suffering from various illnesses were receiving treatment at hospitals in Chakdara and Swat.
Following directives from the district administration, the health department has established free medical camps in the affected areas. Blood samples have also been collected from residents and sent to laboratories for testing.
Dr Afridi said preliminary information did not indicate that all the deaths were caused by a single disease or outbreak. However, he said there was a possibility that the illness causing high fever may have been transmitted from animals to humans.
He said blood samples from affected patients had been sent for further analysis.
The DHO clarified that two children who died in Brmakee had died due to premature birth, while one of the deceased women was suffering from tuberculosis.
He added that two young men from Bochkey were undergoing treatment in Peshawar after contracting meningitis.
Health department teams have visited the affected areas and collected samples for laboratory testing, while further investigations are underway to determine the cause of the illnesses and deaths.
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