Rautahat, May 13:

Four persons have died and over 40 are suffering from dysentery that has spread in Pathara Budhram VDC of Rautahat district in the last four days.

Rekha Kumari, 11, Ranjit Yadav, 3, Lakharjiya Devi, 60, and Raj Kumari Devi, 30, died of dysentery within four days, a local Suresh Jayaswal said, adding that over 40 persons of wards no 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of Pathara Budhram VDC are suffering from the disease.

Some 24 persons who are critically sick have been taken to Ghodasahan and Motihari of India for treatment while 15 patients are undergoing treatment in the village, Jayaswal added.

Sub-health posts in the villages are not showing concern over treatment of the patients, another local Maijelal Jayaswal said. Health assistant at the Pipariya health post, Rajendra Jayswal said he was not aware of the dysentery outbreak at Pathara Budhram VDC.

The District Public Health Office (DPHO) said that DPHO chief Harish Chandra Shah is on home leave for a week while chief of the Gaur Hospital Dr Braja Kishor Thakur is also on leave since Friday.

Birendra Karki, an official at Gaur Hospital, said a team of health workers would be sent to the affected area soon.