THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as health department and corporation frantically issue media statements to publicise their efforts to eradicate dengue, two more suspected dengue fever deaths were reported in the capital on Saturday. In a first, defence personnel Sergeant B.C. Khandpal, 47, of Air Force Station, Shangumugham, succumbed to dengue at Medical College Hospital. The deceased, a native of Uttar Pradesh, was admitted to Military Hospital before being referred to MCH.
In yet another incident, an 11-year-old boy succumbed to fever at a private hospital at Enchakkal. The deceased was identified as Amal Krishna of Vellayani, who collapsed while playing and breathe his last around 2 am, Meanwhile, mayor V.K. Prasanth issued a statement that the corporation health workers had visited 3,454 houses as a part of dengue eradication exercises. Around 692 confirmed vector breeding spots were sprayed with larvicides and 18 rounds of fogging were conducted at various wards. The district medical officer Jose D’Cruz said every community health centre in the capital would have a daily functional outpatient department with at least one doctor after a recent re-deployment.
The platelet shortage in hospitals occurs because collected platelets cannot be stored for more than three days. “Special team of corporation and Kudumbashree workers will visit all households on June 24 for vector control activities. There will be one volunteer for 25 houses each,” Mr D’Cruz said. On Saturday, 680 suspected cases and 138 confirmed cases of dengue were reported in the capital. Vattiyoorkavu, Karakulam and Poonthura topped in the numbers.
