The toll in the hepatitis-hit Sabarkantha district climbed to 43 with the report of five new deaths. Meanwhile, state health department launched a mass vaccination drive in Modasa town on Monday.
According to district health officials, six new cases of hepatitis have been registered on Monday from Modasa town and nearby villages.
The officials said that people of all ages had queued up since morning to get themselves vaccinated. “In the first phase we will be administering the hepatitis-B vaccines to around 60,000 people in Modasa, where we have set up 60 booths,” Sabarkantha District Collector M. Thennarasan said.
“We have block level medical officers supervising the team at each booth with over 400 health workers including female health workers (FHWs) monitoring the vaccination drive,” Thennarasan said.
He said that they have also deployed number of mobile teams who will provide support wherever there is shortfall.
The team of experts have already vaccinated the medical and PHC staff and other officials who are working in hospital with the hepatitis-infected patients, he said.