A seven-year-old boy died after developing high fever and breathing difficulties at a residential school in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, while 26 other students have been hospitalised with symptoms of cold, cough and fever, officials said on Monday.
The Class 1 student of the ashram school at Maswan developed a high fever on August 22 and was taken to the local Primary Health Centre (PHC) for treatment. His fever returned on Monday, following which the PHC medical officer noticed that his oxygen levels were falling and advised that he be shifted to the Rural Hospital at Manor by ambulance.
After the child was brought to the hospital, doctors conducted an ECG and declared him dead, an official said. The exact cause of death will be known after the post-mortem report is received, he added.
Following the death, senior health and administration officials visited the school and a medical team carried out health screenings of students on the campus.
The school has 449 enrolled students, of whom 395 are residential students. As a precautionary measure, 26 students with mild symptoms of cold, cough or fever were placed under observation at the Maswan PHC. Their condition was reported to be stable.
Integrated Tribal Development Project officer Vishal Khatri also visited the school and health centre to meet the hospitalised students and their parents.
"As per the advice of the district health officer, a fresh health check-up drive was conducted at the Maswan ashram school.
Essential measures for campus sanitation and water purification are being carried out in the institution, and all necessary precautions will be taken to prevent the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents," Khatri told PTI.
The incident comes weeks after three tribal girls died following venomous snakebites at a residential school hostel in Gadchiroli district after reportedly sleeping on the floor.
The deaths have renewed scrutiny of safety and health conditions at Maharashtra’s ashram schools. Officials said earlier this month that 584 students had died in state-run and government-aided residential facilities across the state over the past two years, an average of nearly one death a day.
The reported causes included snakebites, sickle cell disease, serious illnesses, accidents and suicides.
(With inputs from PTI)
