Locals panic after girl dies of fever, health dept launch probe

CHENNAI: A 9-year-old girl died of a fever in Sriperumbudur on Wednesday. The health department is investigating whether she died of dengue or the influenza virus.

The deceased, Yuthika of Vellarai village in Sriperumbudur, was a class 4 student in the government school in the locality. A few days ago, she was infected with a fever and on Monday she visited the special camp for dengue which was conducted by the health department. As the temperature was increasing on Tuesday, she was taken to the Sriperumbudur government hospital and after the treatment, she was sent home. On Tuesday night, she was taken to a private hospital as her temperature became very high. She was declared dead by the doctors there.

Following the death, villagers requested the government to conduct fever camps as many of them are showing symptoms of dengue. The Kancheepuram health department officials are investigating whether the girl was infected by dengue or the influenza virus. The health department is collecting the blood samples of the villagers who have a fever and are being treated in the camps.