In a shocking development, one more case of hepatitis has come to light in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat.

However, health authorities in the state are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that no other person dies due to this fatal viral disease.

With this the total number of people infected with hepatitis has gone up to 185 in the state, of which 56 have died.

The town of Modasa in North Gujarat district is considered to be the epicentre of this disease.

The infected are undergoing treatment in different hospitals of the state districts.

Confirming the development, H S Patel, chief district health officer said, “No deaths were reported today. Only one (fresh) case of hepatitis was reported from Idar taluka of the district.”

He further said that the State Health Department is working day and night to control the outbreak of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis D in the state.

As a preventative step, the government has already intensified the vaccination drive in the state.

The heath authorities have also circulated thousands of pamphlets and launched a public awareness campaign to create awareness on this deadly disease.

Meanwhile, the health officials raided and sealed 13 godowns on Monday. Biomedical waste was stored in these godowns.

Apart from this, the state government has earlier filed an FIR against eight doctors for negligence of the hepatitis-B outbreak. Three were arrested for using unsterilised and used syringes that was considered to be the cause of the outbreak.

The hepatitis-D virus (also called delta virus) is a small circular RNA virus and affects humans only in the presence of hepatitis-B infection. It is transmitted by blood and blood products. The risk factors for infection are similar to those for hepatitis-B virus infection.