Newborn, mother die as dengue rears head
COIMBATORE: A couple of days after giving birth, a mother succumbed to dengue on Sunday while heading to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) from a private hospital. The new-born also breathed his last later the same day due to a reduction in the heart beat.
P Lourdu Mari (24), a resident of Kuruncheri in Pollachi, had tested positive for dengue last week when was a few days away from the delivery date. She was taking treatment at Pollachi Government Hospital (GH), but approached a private clinic in Pollachi after being neglected by the former, according to a relative. Mari also went to a private hospital in the city after the count of White Blood Cells (WBC) started to reduce beyond limit.
At the latter, Mari gave birth to a boy, and she was also taking treatment for dengue and was under constant observation. Until Friday, doctors had assured she would survive.
But unable to pay fees, Mari was asked to shift to CMCH On Friday. “Even though management knew she was critical, they took about six hours to discharge her,” the relative said, adding she was declared brought dead at the CMCH.
Meanwhile, health department officials said there were no recent cases in Chennai. “We’re taking all preventive measures in affected areas,” Dr K Kolandaswamy, director of public health, told Express.
Health dept on high alert
With as many as 86 people diagnosed with fever in Tiruchy, and treatment on at both government and private hospitals, the health department is on high alert. All fever cases are being treated as dengue, and patients are being given extra care to prevent an outbreak. Sources said a nine-year-old girl named Shivani from Perumbalur district succumbed to the fever infection recently in Tiruchy.