Fresh panic grips Chennai, Tiruvallur after 2 fever deaths

According to district health officials, Nathuram (38), a resident of Komathipuram near Tiruniravur coming under Tiruvallur district was suffering from fever for the past 

one week. 

The businessman initially underwent treatment at a private hospital. As his health condition continued to deteriorate, his family members shifted him to a private hospital at Anna Nagar in Chennai, where he was diagnosed with swine flu. However, his health condition failed to improve and he succumbed on Monday. 

As the information spread in his locality, several people who suffered from fever rushed to the nearest government hospital to get themselves checked for the H1N1 virus. 

Last week state health officials headed by state health secretary Dr Radhakrishnan conducted an intensive campaign in Tiruvallur district following the death of two children of suspected dengue. 

The most recent death in Tiruvallur due to Swine flu has once again put health department officials on their toes as efforts are on to prevent spread of the disease. 

Meanwhile, Sivasri, a one-and-a-half-month-old baby from Kamaraja Nagar in Choolaimedu, who was suffering from fever for a few days, was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared her ‘brought dead.’

It is alleged that the baby, daughter of Thangavelu, was taken to a hospital in Royapettah for treatment and later to the Institute of Child Health and Children’s Hospital in Egmore. However, she was declared brought dead.

Stating that the baby had no symptoms of dengue, Dr A T Arasar, Director, Institute of Child Health and Children’s Hospital, Egmore, where she was declared dead, said, “We were informed that the baby was suffering with cough and cold for a few days. With no symptoms of dengue, Hospital duty Chief Medical Officer has put the provisional diagnosis as severe pneumonia after she was brought dead to the casualty ward at the hospital on Sunday night”.   

Three children of a family, who were running fever for the past few days, have been admitted to the Egmore Children’s Hospital. Saravanan (35), a resident of Murugathammanpatti village in Padapai along with wife Parimala was running a roadside eatery. 

The couple has three children, Gokul (7), Shakthi (5) and Divyashree (2). A few days ago, Gokul was diagnosed with fever and was getting treated in a private hospital in Padapai. Later the fever spread to Shakthi and Divyashree. 

As there was no improvement in the health condition of the children on Sunday, all the three were shifted to Egmore Children’s hospital for treatment. 

The hospital sources said that the children were affected with a viral fever.  While municipal officials in Padappai were taking steps to prevent the fever being spread.