The death of a four-year-old in Kozhikode allegedly due to diphtheria has led the district Health authorities to take precautionary measures for people who may have come in contact with the family based in Kottappady here.
Visits were conducted by Health workers in about a hundred houses nearby to help residents with prophylactic measures. Three other children in the family are running a fever, and one of them is being treated in a private hospital. All in the family, including three older children, are on medication. No child in the family has been immunised.
However, the family had agreed to take antibiotics against the disease and had indicated positive signs of coming under the immunisation fold, said Health authorities.
A boy hailing from Assam died in the district due to diphtheria a month ago.
Dengue outbreak
The Health authorities are also considering the nearly 50 cases of dengue reported over a month from Payipra as an outbreak.
Two wards in the panchayat had reported more cases of dengue, said the District Surveillance Officer Balagangadharan.
In all, there have been 82 confirmed cases since January this year.
Stagnant water in small containers act as breeding source for mosquitoes. Hence, cleaning up the premises at least once a week will help keep away mosquitoes that spread the disease. Mosquitoes breed in water that remains stagnant in terrace drainage pipes, over plastic sheets or containers such as coconut shells.
