CHENNAI: An IIT-Madras student succumbed to dengue in the wee hours of Friday at a corporate private hospital, where he was undergoing treatment. The deceased has been identified as Prem Avinash, a third year Dual Degree student of Mechanical Engineering. He was a native of Visakhapatanam in Andhra Pradesh and was residing at the Narmada hostel inside the IIT campus.
Sources said he was undergoing treatment for Dengue Shock Syndrome/Dengue Hemorrhage Fever at the hospital for the past few days. An official from the hospital said: “The student was admitted with Dengue Shock Syndrome four days back. By that time, he was in a serious condition. Despite our attempts to save him, he succumbed to it,” the official added.
IIT-Madras Registrar expressed condolences to the student’s family, and friends. Condolence meetings were held in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and in the Narmada hostel common room. As a mark of remembrance, his friends planted a tree next to the hostel.
An IIT student, who also stays in Narmada hostel, told Express that Avinash was diagnosed with dengue five days back and hospitalised. On Wednesday, he reportedly suffered multi-organ failure. “At the time of admission itself, his platelet count was dangerously low and he didn’t respond to treatment. His kidney collapsed and he was put on dialysis. The news of his death has come as a rude shock for all,” the student said. To a query, a source in the campus said there was no need to panic. There are no other cases of students suffering from fever or related symptoms.
Friends said Avinash was a very bright student and active in social activities as well. He was serving as the coordinator of E-Cell of IIT Madras. E-Cell put up a post in Facebook saying, “It’s very sad to share with you all that Prem Avinash a member of our E-Cell family, fell short in fighting out severe dengue. We pray the almighty give his family all the strength in overcoming the irreplaceable loss.”
K Kolandaswamy, Director of Public Health, told Express that zonal health officers got to know about the case three days back and visited the campus to take preventive measures like fogging and source reduction. The treatment protocol given to the student was not known as also why the student had waited till it became worse. “We are investigating where the delay happened. The water kept inside the campus for animals is the main problem. It acted as a breeding source for mosquitoes. Just fogging the campus will not help; people should be sensitised about source reduction also,” he added.
The official said last year, dengue awareness programme was conducted on the campus. “It was a mass awareness programme. Still it is saddening to know the death of one bright student. We will be getting a full report on the case on Saturday,” Kolandaswamy added.