4 more die of H1N1 in southern districts

MADURAI: Just as the state recorded four more H1N1 deaths in the past 24 hours – two in

Madurai

and two in

Tirunelveli

– health minister and senior public health officials were making field visits to several areas in the state urging people and the civic agencies to clear unused scrap and discarded items lying inside houses and open grounds.


With several regions experiencing intermittent rain, water stagnating in plastic cups and tyres were a breeding ground for dengue-causing mosquitoes. “If we don’t clear them now, we will not be able to prevent dengue. We are seeing an increase in fever cases. There is an increase in dengue and H1N1 cases as well. We have adequate stock of medicines and human resources to treat people with ailments, but our aim now is to prevent them,” health minister C Vijayabaskar said.

Most patients who are diagnosed early and admitted to hospitals on time are discharged without complications. “Death in both dengue and H1N1 happens because of late diagnosis or among patients with chronic ailments,” said director of public health Dr K Kulandaiswamy.

The two deaths in Madurai took the toll in the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) to six and the total number of cases in the state to 20, officials said. GRH dean Dr D Marudhupandian said 102 patients, including those in the paediatric section, were being treated for fever in the hospital.

Hospital sources said Mandiramoorthy, 45 of Sundarajanpatti on Alagarkoil road, who was admitted few days ago, died late on Thursday night. Allimalar, 35, wife of Shankar of Attukulam in Melur, who had symptoms of H1NI died on Friday morning. Three more people who tested H1N1 positive and two patients with dengue are under treatment.

Muthukrishnan of Muneerpalam in Tirunelveli who was admitted to the Tirunelveli Government died of H1N1 on Friday. Selvam, 30, of Samadhanapuram Ambedkar Nagar in Tirunelveli, who also tested H1N1 positive, died at the Palayamkottai Government Medical College Hospital.

Five patients who tested positive for H1NI and three dengue patients are under treatment in the government hospital in Tirunelveli. Dean of the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital Dr S M Kannan said so far there have been five H1N1 deaths in the district.

One of the reasons cited for the rising number of fever cases this season is people moving in crowded places. “The best way to prevent the spread of the disease is to avoid such places. People should also wash their hands regularly and keep their surroundings clean,” Dr Marudhupandian said.

Using handkerchiefs to sneeze or cough to prevent infected nasal fluids entering the air and avoiding spitting in open places are a must, said doctors. If fever persists, medicines should be consumed after consulting a qualified doctor, he said.