KOZHIKODE: Four more diphtheria cases were reported on Tuesday in the district taking the total number of cases to 34 of which 11 were confirmed. New cases were reported from Olavanna, Pannikode in Kodiyathur, Peruvayal and Pathiyarakara in Vadakara. The affected include two 16-year-old’s and the rest are adults.
An isolated diphtheria ward has started functioning at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, which is a first time in its history, considering the spread of the air-borne disease. The 50-bed capacity ward has already 57 patients including those from Malappuram district. The total number of dengue and leptospirosis cases in July has touched 20 each of which two dengue and four leptospirosis reported on Tuesday. Malaria count has soared to 15 in this month with a new case reported in Koyilandy.
According to the health office, as many as 1,830 patients were treated for fever as on July 19 and 6,872 diarrhoea patients. Meanwhile, in the wake of cholera outbreak in Malappuram and Palakkad, health officers conducted surprise checks in eateries on Tuesday and shut down eight among them. “As many as 1,188 eateries were inspected by 67 teams in various parts of the district. A fine of '26,100 has been collected from the erring food and catering firms,” said District Medical Officer (DMO), Dr R.L Saritha.
