Chittagong: Nine children of Tripura ethnic community died of an 'unknown disease' and 46 others were admitted to hospitals in last four days at Tripurapara of Sonaichari village under Sitakunda upazila of Chittagong. 

Of the dead, four died on Wednesday and five in three days till yesterday, Nazmul Islam Bhuiyan, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Sitakunda Upazila, told BSS this evening. 

"The children aged between two and 10 years have been suffering from the disease with the symptoms of diarrhea and respiratory complications," said Dr Azizur Rahman Siddique, Civil Surgeon of Chittagong.

Thirty-four children were admitted to Bangladesh Institute of Tropical Infectious Disease (BITID), Fauzderhat and 12 others to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH), he added. 

A special team of health ministry is expected to visit the village where the disease broke out, officials said. 

The Civil Surgeon who visited the village termed the disease as 'infectious' and asked people to take precautionary measures so their children are not infected with the disease.