THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state Health Department has landed in a soup after two international medical journals reported the actual death toll due to Nipah outbreak to be much more than what the state had claimed. The government, however, maintained its figures were based on lab-confirmed reports and ruled out any mix-up.
The reports, co-authored by the Health Secretary, also suggest one more health worker — in addition to nurse Lini Sajeesh — is suspected to have succumbed to Nipah. The government’s claim of identifying the outbreak with the second case itself is thus being questioned.
After two international medical journals stated that Nipah deaths in the state were higher than the official toll, the family of an assistant radiologist, who died during the outbreak, has claimed that she had succumbed to the deadly virus infection.
After an article co-authored by Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rajeev Sadanandan in the journals courted controversy, T Vinod Kumar, husband of assistant radiologist Sudha, said that she contracted the disease from Mohammad Sabith, suspected to be the index case of the viral infection.
Though Sabith died on May 5, Nipah infection was diagnosed only after his brother Mohammed Salih also died later on May 17.
Vinod told ‘Express’ that his wife Sudha had treated Sabith when he was admitted to Medical College. “She had been working as an assistant radiologist. She fell ill on May 12 and became critical by May 17. She died on May 19. She had shown the same symptoms of other Nipah-infected patients,” he said.
If Vinod’s claim is proven true, Sudha would be the first health staff to die due to Nipah infection. As per official records, the first and only health staff to succumb to the fatal viral infection is nurse Lini Puthussery.
When Express contacted Director of Health Services R L Saritha to confirm whether Sudha’s samples were sent for detailed analysis, she said It could not be immediately confirmed. “The samples were collected and sent to Manipal by the doctors at the Medical College. We have to check the documents to verify this,” she added.
Vinod said that he had applied for the job of his wife and the process is on. “I am working on a temporary basis at Kozhikode Medical College Hostel. It would be of much help if government gives me the job of my wife for which I had applied. I would also like to meet Health Minister K K Shailaja to seek her help in resolving his problems,” he said.