1994 PLAQUE OF SURAT
Category |
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Pneumonic Plague Epidemic. |
Account |
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From 26 August, outbreaks of bubonic and
pneumonic plague were reported in south-central, south-western,
and northern India. |
Area affected |
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Cases were reported from five states,
Maharashtra (488), Gujarat (77), New Delhi (68), Karnataka
(46), Uttar Pradesh (10) and Madhya Pradesh (4). |
Casualties |
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156 fatal plague cases were reported nationwide. |
Affected |
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693 suspected bubonic or pneumonic plague
cases with positive test results for antibodies to Yersinia
pestis were reported by India to the World Health Organisation
(WHO). |
Surat |
: |
On 22 September, cases of pneumonic plague
were found in the city of Surat, Gujarat. By 26 September,
several hundred pneumonic plague cases and numerous deaths
were noted. Surat was officially sealed. |
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HELP
BY BAPS ORGANISATION
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Centre
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:
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BAPS centre in Surat coordinated relief operations.
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Area helped
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:
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The city of Surat.
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PROVIDING TETRACYCLINE TABLETS
BAPS has an active
centre in Surat and as soon as the outbreak of the plague
was reported BAPS ordered medicines to be sent immediately
to Surat. More than 100,000 Tetracycline tablets, used to
treat the plague epidemic, were sent and distributed freely
in the city together with specially medically treated mouth-guides.
SERVING PATIENTS AT THE CIVIL HOSPITAL
Fears of the epidemic had caused chaos in the city. Mostly
all the plague cases were admitted in the government-run Civil
Hospital. However, numerous rumours and fear had resulted in
a sudden shortage of hospital staff.
The District Magistrate
(Collector) of Surat sent an urgent appeal to BAPS to provide
volunteers who could serve food to the patients admitted at
the Civil Hospital. Immediately, BAPS gathered and sent teams
of volunteers to the hospital. Under the supervision of the
hospital administration, BAPS volunteers served food and tea
to more than 3,000 pneumonic plague patients for 40 days.
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