7 die as fever still active across Tamil Nadu

Chennai

N Sanjay, an eight-year old boy, suffering from swine flu died at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, sources in the hospital said.

He was admitted to the hospital 10 days ago for suspected dengue fever, but doctors later diagnosed him to be suffering from the H1N1 influenza.

Swine flu also claimed the lives of Masanam (38) of VM Chathiram in Tirunelveli district and Ravichandran (52), a lawyer, in Kanniyakumari district.

Health department sources said two other persons died at the Madurai Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH). The two deceased persons were identified as Mookammal (55) of Kamuthi in Ramanathapuram district, and Saravanan (39) of Villapuram in Madurai district. When contacted, D Maruthupandian, dean of GRH, said the duo were admitted on complaints of fever. They tested negative for both dengue and swine flu, he added.

In Salem, Narmada, a pregnant woman, who had been suffering from fever for the past three days, succumbed on Tuesday. Although she was given medication, her oxygen saturation came down.

Meanwhile, a 3-month-old infant, who suffered from fever, died at the Chengalpattu Medical College Hospital. The child, son of Parthiban (25) and his wife Nandini, residing at Peruveli village near Kancheepuram was taken to the hospital on Monday night.

Police said the infant suffered seizures on Monday night and was made to sleep after treatment. The following morning the parents found the child dead in his sleep. Angry relatives and locals staged a protest in front of the hospital claiming that medical negligence could have led to the death.

Dengue checking measures intensified, says DPH

With cases of fever on the rise in the State, Health officials claim that they have intensified their activities to check the same.

Stating that a review meeting was held on Monday, Director of Public Health Dr K Kolandasamy said: “All district collectors were involved in the meeting. They were instructed to intensify checks and measures in their respective districts.”

Besides, hand wash programmeis also being carried out moreintensively, wherein the public is being urged to maintain hygiene, Kolandasamy added.

Mosquito drive: Kanchi hospitals fined Rs 25K each 
The Kancheepuram district administration levied a fine of Rs 25,000 each on two private hospitals as they failed to eliminate mosquito breeding sources. The district revenue and the local body officials, as part of their inspection drive, visited a private hospital in Vaigunda Perumal Koil Street, where they found rainwater stagnating in containers and buckets. The officials warned the management and levied a fine of Rs 25,000 on the hospital.  Subsequently, the officials checked another hospital on the railway station road and found a similar situation. Meanwhile, the district administration levied a fine of Rs 10,000 on a commercial complex in Walajabad for failing to control mosquito breeding. 

Notice to Health Secretary over swine flu, dengue
The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the State Health Secretary on a PIL petition, which claimed that the government has failed to take precautionary measures to prevent the outbreak of dengue and swine flu in Tamil Nadu. KK Ramesh, the petitioner, claimed that there was an outbreak of fatal diseases such as dengue and swine flu in parts of Tamil Nadu. He said the diseases claimed the lives of four patients in Perayur, besides 20 more in Rameswaram. Stating that the government was lethargic and failed to take precautionary measures to prevent the outbreak, the petitioner claimed that medicine stocks were not adequately available in government hospitals. The petitioner also sought the court’s intervention directing the authorities to set up special wards in hospitals to treat patients. After hearing the petition, the division bench comprising Justices MM Sundaresh and N Sathishkumar adjourned the case to November 12.