At least 23 people, most of them children, have died of meningitis which has spread in an epidemic-like proportions in a remote area of Mizoram’s Saiha district since November, state health department sources said here on Monday.
Health department officials said a medical team has reached Mizoram-Myanmar border Zawngling village where 13 children died during November-December last year.
Meningitis affected Saiha, Tuipang, Niawhtlang and surrounding villages, the officials said, adding the cause of so many deaths was mainly due to ignorance of the villagers who failed to receive medical treatment at the initial stage of infection.
The information regarding the epidemic-like situation was received late by the health department as the area is remote and almost inaccessible, the officials added.