A six-year-old boy at Pallur village near Arakkonam in Ranipet district died of complications due to dengue at the Government Medical College Hospital in Chengalpattu on Saturday.
Health officials said that B. Sachin, a class one student in a private school in Kancheepuram, resided in Pallur village near Arakkonam. On February 12, he had fever. The parents took him to a nearby private hospital and he returned home the same day.
A few days later on February 15, the fever came back, along with vomiting and diarrhoea. Immediately, he was rushed to the Government District Headquarters Hospital in Kancheepuram. He was referred to the Government Medical College Hospital in Chengalpattu and got admitted there on February 16. However, Sachin died on Saturday (February 18) evening, officials said.
“Based on initial reports, it was confirmed that the cause of death was dengue. We have intensified the anti-mosquito drive in the district,” R. Manimaran, Deputy Director of Health Services (Ranipet), told The Hindu.
This is the second death in less than a month due to dengue fever in the district since January 28 when a 14-year-boy from Arakkonam town died due to dengue. Following his death, Public Health Department in Ranipet district launched an anti-mosquito drive, especially in remote villages and congested neighbourhoods in big towns like Melvisharam, Arcot, Sholinghur and Arakkonam.
Around 350 mosquito breeding checkers have been deployed for door-to-door inspections. They have been assigned to check water stagnation and proper storage of water and waste disposal in houses and commercial establishments. Fogging operations are under way in big towns across the district.
