In Anna Nagar, Bandikavanoor, Tiruvallur, at least three homes are deserted, as all the family members are at hospitals. Over the last few days, 11 residents of the village, which has about 55 homes, have been hospitalised with fever.
On Thursday morning, Srinivasan S. had just returned to his village after visiting four of his relatives, who had been hospitalised. An hour or so later, a vehicle arrived to take his father, who too has fallen sick — he is now at the Ponneri government hospital.
For Mr. Srinivasan, the past week has been difficult with his mother, his younger brother’s wife and their two children all ill. He has been visiting and taking them food, and has been unable to go to work. “We are daily wage workers, it’s been difficult financially,” he said.
His relative alleged that the treatment at Government Stanley Hospital, where three of the four in the family have been admitted, has not been good. “We were told there was no bed. We were made to wait for hours for a scan and were not given any information on the patients’ condition,” the relative said.
Villagers say water supply is a huge problem, and that it is often dirty when the supply first begins. After a shower the previous night, stagnant pools of water are everywhere. “There is no drainage here at all,” a resident said.
Late on Tuesday night, a resident, 48-year-old N. Susheela, died. Her family said she had loose motion and vomiting, with fever previously, and alleged that they had to wait two hours at the local primary health centre before she was given a glucose drip. They had then gone to a private hospital and later come home.
Government measures
Health officials, who set up a camp in the village on Sunday, said that of the 11 hospitalised, six are at the Government Stanley Hospital, four at the Ponneri Government Hospital and one at a private hospital. Oral rehydration salts, medication and nilavembu kudineer are being distributed at the camp, they said. Bleaching powder has also been sprinkled in the village.
Deputy director of health services, Tiruvallur, J. Prabakaran said that one person from the village had tested positive for dengue. He said the death was not due to fever.
“We set up the camp immediately after the cases were reported, and are referring any fever patients to hospital. While seasonal flu and viral fever are also doing the rounds, we have stepped up anti-larval measures and indoor fogging. People have to ensure there are no mosquito breeding sources in and around their homes,” he said.
Tiruvallur is one of the districts in the State that has reported a number of fever cases of late.
Other districts include Salem and Tiruvannamalai, said Director of Public Health K. Kolandaisamy. Health officials have stressed the need to not self-medicate and consult medical professionals for fever.
