With 14 more patients succumbing to heat-related ailments in the last 24 hours, fatalities due to heatwave in Uttar Pardesh's Ballia district has mounted to 68 since June 15.

A committee appointed by the state government visited villages in Bansdih and Garwar development blocks which reported maximum casualties.

Led by Dr K. N. Tiwari (Director Medical Care) and Dr A.K. Singh (Director Infectious Diseases), the team met the family members of some of the deceased to study if a specific pattern may be spotted and claimed that they did not come across any sign of panic.

Singh said, "We spoke to some families and learnt that the now-deceased were unwell for a long time. One of them had TB. But what remains undeniable is the high heat and humidity levels in the villages."

He also said there were power outages in the villages which added to the woes of the people.

Citing the example of one such village Parbatpur, he said, "Locals claimed that a transformer snag had left more than half of the village without power for over two weeks now. The district officials have been apprised to initiate relief measures."

Singh also said several blood samples of patients who were under treatment were collected and sent for tests to check any other disease.

Asked to comment on the reasons for deaths at Ballia district hospital (DH), Singh said, "The DH is the highest referral centre and the burden of patients is high, so the number of deaths is also proportionate."

Dr Singh said additional air coolers have been put up in the wards of the district hospital where some patients had complained of facing unbearable heat. Besides, additional nurses and pharmacists have been deployed to ensure continuity of treatment. (IANS/NS)