Rajbiraj/Rautahat, October 4:

Two persons died of dysentery in Saptari district today, while two persons have succumbed to dysentery in Rautahat district. The dysentery toll in Rautahat has gone up to six due to the disease raging in the district for a month.

Sub-health post in-charge in Saptari district Nanu Yadav told this daily that two-and-a-half-year old Devmala Kumari Mukhiya of Mainakaderi VDC 5 and 20-year-old Tunni Devi Marik of Manraja 2 died of dysentery. Yadav said 36 persons in wards 4 and 5 of Mainakaderi VDC have been affected by the disease and added that there was a severe shortage of saline water in the sub-health post.

The epidemic that spread in Manraja VDC 10 days ago is yet to be controlled, said locals. However, senior assistant health worker at the Saptari district public health office Shailendra Gupta said that the disease had been brought under control. The DPHO has rented two rooms in the Janata lower secondary school to treat the patients. As a result, classes in the school have been disrupted since a week.

Dysentery is raging in Rautahat for a month. Basudev Mahara, 7, son of Raghunath Mahara of Santapur in Dostiya VDC 2, and Aarti Kumari, 3, daughter of Shiv Mangal Sah of Chandiha Tole in Basantpur VDC died of dysentery yesterday.

The Gaur district hospital confirmed their deaths. People in Pipra Bhagwanpur, Tejapakad, Santapur Dostiya, Pipra Pokhariya, Laxmipur Belbichhwa, Jigadwa Belbichhwa, Bhalohiya, Jhunkhunwa, Hajminiya, Basantpur, Jaynagar, Saruathwa, Karuniya, Mohammedpur, Rajpur Tulsi, Banjarha, Auraiya, Sarmujwa, Laukaha Basantpatti VDCs and 13 wards of Gaur municipality are affected by dysentery. Dr Ram Shankar Thakur at the Gaur hospital said daily at least 30-35 dysentery patients come to the hospital.