CHENNAI: A 12-year-old girl from Tiruvallur district died of fever at the Institute of Child Health (ICH), Egmore on Saturday. Officials said Yogeshwari from Tekkalur was referred to ICH with symptoms of dengue. However, a senior doctor at the institute said, “Though it was a case of clinically suspected dengue, blood result was negative for dengue. She came from Tiruvallur GH with almost no pulse.”
A senior health department official said, “From October 1, 2,184 fever cases were reported in Tiruvallur district. Among them 160 were admitted with symptoms of dengue, of which 64 had dengue.”
It may be noted that last week an 11-month-old boy from Tiruvallur district succumbed to dengue at Sri Ramachandra Medical College Hospital (SRMC). After death, the department intensified surveillance. They also conducted a review meeting, during which officials were instructed to conduct awareness programmes at the block level. Fieldworkers were instructed to do fogging in the mornings and evenings, officials said. Block medical officers were told to conduct inspection on buildings to eradicate mosquito breeding spots.
“We also conducted a medical camp at Tekkalur after Yogeswari’s death. There were only 10 fever cases in the area last week. On Saturday, 86 patients with fever were admitted to the Tiruvallur GH. Among them, test was conducted on 63, and four were positive for dengue,” the official said.