The district Health authorities on Friday confirmed that a 16-year-old boy hailing from Assam died due to diphtheria at the Thrissur Medical College on Thursday.
The boy, Inabur Rahman, had come to Kochi to visit his brother working here. He was admitted to the Government Medical College, Ernakulam, on April 15.
When the doctors suspected diphtheria, Rahman was sent to the Kottayam Medical College.
When a throat swab cultured from the boy turned out to be positive, the Ernakulam medical college authorities informed the Kottayam Medical College. However, it was learnt that Rahman had gone back to Ernakulam and got admitted to a private hospital. The boy’s family then shifted him to the Thrissur Medical College after they learnt about the disease and the medication required. Rahman died at the Thrissur Medical College.
Officials at the Government Medical College, Ernakulam, who are part of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) of the district Health authorities, had reported the case as positive in the culture result for diphtheria bacteria.
The RRT meeting held on Friday evaluated the work done over the last two days to check the spread of the disease. So far, a hundred households in Kakkanad, near the house from where the diphtheria case was reported, have been examined for any suspected symptoms of the disease.
The Health authorities and the medical college authorities had advised all those who came into contact with the patient to take chemophylaxis, an antibiotic dose to prevent the disease.
Swabs from two other patients, an 18-year old from Kaloor and a six-and-a-half-year-old from Vazhakulam have also been sent to a government lab to check for diphtheria. However, both the cases have an immunisation cover, said Health officials. The immunisation status of the Assam boy could not be established, the officials added.
