Dengue kills four-year-old in TN; Kindergarten fined one lakh for unsanitary conditions

Chennai: Despite increased dengue awareness, around 3,400 cases have been reported across Tamil Nadu in the last ten months. So far, three people have succumbed to it. In the last week, three more children died which officials suspect might be due to dengue.

After four-year-old S Nakshatra died of dengue at Vellore on Tuesday, her school was slapped with a fine of Rs 1 lakh. Investigations revealed that the school’s premises provided breeding spots for mosquitoes.

Sources said that the child was admitted in three hospitals, and was finally taken to Christian Medical College on Tuesday, where she succumbed to the disease. When officials from the Health Department inspected the school premises, they found stagnated water which was an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. The officials also discovered that the garbage disposal system was improper.

On Tuesday, the state government told Madras High Court that 38,069 cases of dengue had been officially reported across the state since 2015, and there had been 96 deaths due to it. The state government has given clear instructions to all local village authorities to ensure that precautionary measures are taken.

The officials have to make sure that over-head water tanks in houses are cleaned and chlorinated, and that bleaching powder is sprinkled on damp locations in cattle rearing areas. Since dengue mosquitoes breed in freshwater, people are advised to close stored drinking water. The water should also be changed once in three days even if it is closed.

Also, officials have produced an adequate quantity of nilavembu powder — a medicine to prevent dengue — for distribution in government hospitals, primary health centres and places of public gathering. So far, around 1.07 crore people have been given nilavembu kudineer this year.

Also Read: https://newsmeter.in/low-platelet-count-seems-to-be-the-talk-of-the-town/