TIRUCHY: Eight orphaned babies under six months of age at an NGO shelter in Srirangam have since Thursday night been undergoing treatment at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) for seasonal flu. Dispelling rumours that they are critically ill, hospital sources said the babies are stable in health.
While the rumour mills churned -- especially after another baby from the same shelter, who along with six others admitted to the hospital for fever-related symptoms, died on February 26 -- a senior health official clarified that the orphaned babies were stable.
The babies were admitted with complaints of breathing difficulty, cold and fever, the official said. "It is normal seasonal flu and nothing serious. As the babies are underweight, which the seasonal flu has affected them more.
The flu spreads easily among the babies as they are near each other at the shelter," the official added. P Mohan, the chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee in Tiruchy, said, "The death of the baby in February was sudden. We conducted a thorough investigation and found no reason apart from its health complications.
The recent admission of babies was over seasonal flu and no other reasons should be attached to it." Pointing to Collector M Pradeep Kumar’s visit to the shelter on Wednesday, P Rahul Gandhi, the district child protection officer, said the babies were shifted to MGMGH on the former’s advice. The claims of the babies’ health condition being serious are untrue, he added. Of the 35 inmates at the Srirangam shelter, 10 are below 6 months of age, revealed official sources.