In their frantic investigations into the hepatitis-B outbreak, Sabarkantha officials have seized a cache of used syringes, needles and IV sets from a Modasa scrap shop that could provide clues about the spread of the virus.

The medical supplies were found, on Wednesday, during a raid on Shabnam Scrap Centre, in Bhangar Gali. “How the items reached a scrap shop is still a mystery. But the culprit will be found and punished,” said the assistant commissioner of food and drug department, KG Nogia. 

No hepatitis-B death was reported in Modasa on Wednesday. 

Significant increase in acreage and good rainfall led to higher production

Gujarat is set to increase it share in castor production in the country. With a significant increase in area under cultivation, state's share is expected to be around 75% during 2008-09 against 71.5% in the previous year.

As per castor crop survey-2008-09, conducted by Solvent Extractors Association (SEA), Banaskantha district is the largest producer of the commodity and total output in the district this year is estimated to be around 2.05 lakh tonnes.

Two people were killed and one sustained serious injuries when portions of a wall of an underground sewage collapsed in Danilimda on Tuesday evening. The deceased have been identified as Viru Singh Rukma, (22), and Uday Bhai, both belonging to Rajasthan.

Sources said the incident occurred close to Danilimda police station where construction of an underground sewage was going on. Labourers were digging pit when a portion of the sewage wall collapsed, killing two labourers. Another worker, Tola Ram, sustained critical injuries.

Hepatitis-B killed three more people in Modasa on Monday, a day on which the Gujarat government vaccinated 50,000 residents of the taluka in 10 hours, in what could be one of India’s largest medical mop-ups. The toll from the outbreak has now touched 56, although officials assert that the figure is 45. Two of Monday’s casualties are women, identified Kapila Patel (30) and Harshida Rathod (21).

The mass-vaccination drive is being carried out in the Modasa taluka and surrounding villages of the Sabarkantha district by 225 teams of health officials and NGO volunteers.

In a room full of patients, Kamlaben Vankar sits beside her husband's bed at Modasa general hospital. She is writing post-cards to invite family members for her god bharai on Sunday.

But she does not know if her husband would be able to attend the function, welcoming their first child. Because Prithivi Malaji Vankar (35), a resident of Palampur near Modasa, has been hospitalised for a month. He was admitted in a private clinic, but was shifted to general hospital here last week.  

“There is a custom in our family where a pregnant woman and the unborn child are given blessings and gifts by relatives,'' said Kamla. 

Doctors say Ramesh Jhala acquired virus from needle used by tattoo artist

Eighteen-year-old Ramesh Jhala, a resident of Choila in Bayad taluka of Sabarkantha, did not know that getting a five-rupee tattoo on his hand would land him in a hospital. Jhala has been detected positive with hepatitis –B virus in Modasa. 

Four months back, Jhala had visited Pavagadh to seek blessing from Goddess Mahakali. During his visit, he was tempted to get a tattoo done by a cheap tattoo carver. Doctors now believe that Jhala might have acquired the virus from the needle the tattoo artist used to engrave a tattoo on his hand.