CHENNAI/COIMBATORE/VELLORE: At least six children have died of fever over the last three days in Coimbatore and Vellore districts. Though the health department officials confirmed that only one death was due to dengue, local residents are a worried lot.
Officials said the tests were not conducted on two other children who died in Coimbatore. But the sheer number of patients admitted with fever in the district’s largest government hospital is worrisome. As on Sunday morning, there were about 183 patients with fever, and 46 of them are children. Out of this, 28 cases have been confirmed as dengue. Tamil Nadu has reported 5013 cases of dengue in the first half of this year (until July 23), which is double the numbers (2531) reported in entire 2016, according to government data.
Far away in Pernambut town in Vellore district, three children including a 10-months-old child have succumbed to fever since Saturday. Deputy director of Medical health services for Tirupattur TA Parthasarathy said that the 10-months-old baby boy died due to pneumonia, not dengue. “For the other two girls, tests did not confirm dengue. They only showed symptoms of fever,” he said, assuring mosquito control measures were in full swing.
The sudden deaths have sent shock waves in Pernambut. Kabeer, father of one the deceased child, said the health officials and doctors did not inform the family about the seriousness of the condition.