TENKASI: Two children, aged six and eight years respectively, died of dengue fever in Kasinathapuram village of Puthupatti panchayat in the past two days. As many as 15 people have tested positive for dengue in the village in the last two weeks.
The deceased have been identified as S Poomika and P Supriya. While Poomika died on Tuesday evening, the latter lost her life on Wednesday morning in the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital.
Meanwhile, around 10 people of the village are undergoing treatment for dengue at the Government District Headquarters Hospital, Tenkasi.
According to sources, over 50 people suffered from fever in the village in the past two weeks and many of them tested positive for dengue. The doctors in the medical reports of the deceased children mentioned that they succumbed to fever with thrombocytopenia (a clinical condition commonly caused by dengue and malaria) and decompensated shock.
Relatives of the deceased children alleged that the Rural Development Department failed to keep their village hygienic despite their repeated requests. They also showed worms in their drinking water and water stagnation in the newly built ditch. "The overhead tank from which we are supplied drinking water has not been cleaned for the past six months. This tank which is always open and the ditch are the main mosquito-breeding sources of our village," the relatives told TNIE.
A parent, seeking anonymity, alleged that even though he was informed by the doctors that his child was infected by dengue, the hospital administration mentioned the disease indirectly using some complicated medical terms in the report.
When contacted, officials said, the health officials camped in the village and are eliminating the sources of mosquito breeding with the help of workers of the Rural Development Department.
Repeated attempts to reach Deputy Director (Health Services) Anitha for comments went in vain.