Biratnagar, August 6 :

The AMDA hospital, Damak, today sent the viscera of the three Bhutanese refugees, who reportedly died after consuming poisoned fish, to Kathmandu for tests.

Raghunath Mishra, 15, Kamal Subedi, 15 and Bhaginath Tamang, 17, who had been living in Shanishre camp’s J-4 sector, died 13 days after they reportedly ate the fish. The death has sparked a terror in the refugee camps and refugee patients with shocks has increased in the hospitals, said Dr Nirmal Rimal of the AMDA hospital.

Altogether, 60 Bhutanese refugees have been admitted in the Koshi zonal hospital, Biratnagar, the AMDA Hospital, Damak, and the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, he said. Meanwhile, eight of the 10 Bhutanese refugees admitted to the Koshi zonal hospital have returned after treatment, said medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Bimal Prasad Dhakal.

X-ray of the deceased Raghunath Mishra and Kamala Subedi showed they had TB, Dr Dhakal said, but added that they might not have died of the disease only.

There is no sign of any epidimic in the refugee camps, but people there are alarmed, the head of the district public health office, Nava Raj Subba, said.

A health team led by Dr Ghanashyam Jha has been sent to the area, he said.