Suspected Measles Outbreak Infects 27 Children in MP Villages, 2 Dead

The remote villages of Kherwa Kalan, Semra, and Budagar in Madhya Pradesh’s Maihar district have been gripped by a mysterious outbreak over the past week. 27 children across the 3 villages have been infected by a disease causing high fevers and body rashes. Tragically, two children have lost their lives so far.

The outbreak came to light when a school teacher noticed several children with odd rashes and flashing high temperatures. He immediately informed the health department. Medical teams rushed to the site and found 18 suffering children in the first round of checks.

District Collector Rani Batad shared that while the cause is yet to be confirmed, the symptoms point towards a measles outbreak. Blood and swab samples have been dispatched to labs in Jabalpur and Bhopal for final diagnosis.

As a precaution, schools and Anganwadi in 8 nearby villages have been temporarily shut down. Mobile medical camps with doctors and paramedics have also been deployed. The deceased child has been identified as Yash Kori, a student of the local village school.

Revealing concerning details, Collector Batad said some superstitious villagers have been refusing to send their sick children to the primary health center for treatment. Intense counseling efforts are underway to convince them. The situation is under control for now but these remote hamlets remain on high alert for any escalation in the coming days. Health officials appealed for timely vaccination of children to prevent the spread of viral diseases.