At least 10 people of an adivasi village in South Dinajpur district's Kushmandi block have been infected with Kala-azar, officials said.

Kala-azar is a form of the disease leishmaniasis marked by emaciation, anaemia, fever, and enlargement of the liver and spleen. The disease is caused by the bite of infected female phlebotomine sandflies, an official said. The health department has started spraying insecticides in the village in an effort to stop the disease from spreading. "Workers of the health department have started visiting villageto give medicines to the infected persons and their families," the Block Medical Officer of Health (BMOH) of Kushmandi, Amit Das, said.

They have also started an awareness camp in the village, he said. "We are keeping a close watch on the families," the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Kushmandi, Saipa Lama, said. A total of 46 families live in the adivasi village which is known as Namvyle.