TENKASI: A seven-year-old girl treated by a quack for suspected dengue was declared "dead on arrival" by the doctors at the Government District Headquarters Hospital in Tenkasi here on Tuesday morning.
The deceased Dhaniya Shri was a resident of Navaneethakrishnapuram near Pavoorchathiram. She was studying Class II in Hindu Primary School.
Since a child from the same village was admitted to the headquarters hospital with dengue symptoms, the health officials conducted a camp in Navaneethakrishnapuram on Tuesday.
During a door-to-door inspection, they found that Shri was suffering from high fever. As she started vomiting persistently, the staff and the doctor took her to headquarters hospital in an ambulance.
"She might have suffered from dengue. We were told by their parents that they took Shri to a local quack who administered injections to the child for three to four days. We are now treating Shri's two brothers for fever. Only upon receiving their blood test reports, we can ascertain whether they have dengue," said the hospital Superintendent Jesline.
According to sources, 23 patients, including eight children, were treated for suspected dengue in the headquarters hospital from December 1 to 9. Seven fever patients are currently under treatment. While 19 of them were discharged, four were referred to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital for tertiary care. Similarly, of the 30, 12 were from Surandai.
"The parents should not fall prey to quacks. The headquarters hospital is equipped with facilities, including isolation ward. The hospital functions round the clock with adequate staff to treat dengue patients. Shri's parents were unaware of these facilities and lost their child," said Jesline.
Meanwhile, health officials have begun an inquiry at Navaneethakrishnapuram. Officials said the child was administered traditional medicine by her parents. Collector G K Arun Sundar Thayalan would visit the village today.