Ranchi, Nov. 4: Nemra, the native village of chief minister Hemant Soren and his father JMM chief Shibu Soren in Gola block of Ramgarh district, is in the grip of malaria with over 100 residents suffering from the disease.

Confirming outbreak of the disease in the village under Uparbarga panchayat, district malaria officer Dr Kedar Nath Prasad said: “Almost all cases of fever have been confirmed to be malaria. Some serious patients have gone to Ranchi for better treatment. However, there is no casualty till now and we can say the situation is under control. But what’s worrying is that I have received reports of fresh outbreak in another village now.”

Tandil, which is in Betulkala panchayat in the same block, has around 25 patients.

According to Prasad, the need of the hour is fumigation and DDT spray.

“Over the past week, I have organised four camps in Nemra for pathological tests and distribution of medicines. The same initiative is being taken at Tandil. But the outbreak in Tandil suggests that all adjoining villages need immediate spraying of DDT and fumigation, which has been done once at Nemra,” he said.

Asked what was stopping them from taking malaria control measures, Prasad said: “We don’t have enough resources or manpower. After the contract period of multipurpose workers ended in September, it has not been renewed. We don’t have adequate money either.”

State malaria officer Pushpa Maria Bek said she would alert the health top brass for immediate action.