Residents panic as 7-yr-old dies of dengue in Pallavaram

CHENNAI: A 7-year-old girl in Pallavaram died of dengue on Monday, spreading fear among the residents in southern suburbs that the viral fever has been spreading for the past few weeks. However, officials said most of them were viral fever cases due to changes in the climate.

After Ragashree, a head constable’s daughter who was admitted to a private hospital, died without responding to treatment on Monday, the hospital said she died due to dengue. In Pallavaram, a six-year-old boy is undergoing treatment for dengue at a private hospital.

Coming as it did at a time when there are several cases of fever in Tambaram, Pallavaram, Chromepet, Pammal, Anakaputhur and Sembakkam, a majority of them children and elderly, Ragashree’s death spread panic among the residents that many among the fever cases could be dengue.

However, Dr Palanivel of Chromepet GH said most of the affected persons had only regular viral fever that is usual during monsoons and not dengue as the people fear. He urged the people not to panic, assuring that the situation was under control.