KOLLAM: One more case of Diphtheria was confirmed in a student at the Residential Arabic College in Oachira. The 16-year-old from Chandanathoppe has be-en admitted to an isolation ward in Thiruvananth-apuram MCH. Another 11-year-old student hailing from Pathanapuram was earlier admitted with symptoms of Diphtheria.
The samples of secretion from throat of five students were sent to the public health laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram, of which the disease was confirmed in the second patient. Samples were taken from students who showed symptoms including fever and head ache. The department also observed that the infected were those who failed to take the preventive vaccine available for free at Government hospitals.
Steps have been intensified to prevent further spread of the disease. Of the 260 inmates of the institute, some 36 students who showed symptoms of fever and cough have been given Erythro-mycin for 14 days as treatment. The rest of students were also given the medicine for ten days as a preventive measure.
