Jaipur:
The Union health ministry has sought a report from Rajasthan on the deaths of six children due to diphtheria in Deeg in the last 30 days. Taking cognizance of the TOI report on the deaths, the ministry contacted state authorities to get details on immunisation coverage, active cases of diphtheria, active cases survey and children undergoing treatment for the disease.
The state health department Sunday confirmed another death – a five-year-old child from Sikri area in Deeg – bringing the total number of diphtheria-related deaths to seven. On Sunday, TOI reported that six children had died of diphtheria in Deeg district due to poor immunisation coverage in the area.
First death in state was on Sept 14
Four of these deaths occurred in Sept, while three happened in Oct.
A senior health department official said, “We have prepared a detailed report on diphtheria cases in Deeg which will be shared with the Union health ministry.” Health department teams have been dispatched to the Sikri area of Deeg district, where two deaths due to diphtheria were confirmed recently.
On Sunday, the teams administered antibiotics to those who had been in contact with the children who died from diphtheria. A list of children in the area who need to be vaccinated against diphtheria has been drawn up. Vaccines will be administered to these children on Monday.
According to health department officials, diphtheria is a bacterial disease which is most often transmitted among people through respiratory droplets or direct contact with respiratory secretions. Symptoms of the disease include moderate fever, sore throat, and difficulty in swallowing. Severe symptoms, such as obstruction of airways, are more common in non-immunised patients.
The first reported death in the state occurred on Sept 14, when a seven-year-old boy from Kaman in Deeg succumbed to it. Three more deaths were reported on Sept 28 — a five-year-old boy in Kaman, a six-year-old boy in Deeg, and a six-year-old girl in Deeg. A five-year-old boy from Deeg district also passed away due to the disease.
