The Health Department will conduct an emergency death audit to determine the actual cause for deaths in the backdrop of the rising number of fever cases in the district.
As many as 10 fever deaths were reported in the district this season. Of them, three were confirmed dengue cases and two suspected dengue cases. Three other deaths were due to H1N1 influenza.
Death audits are usually conducted in the context of rise in the number of deaths due to an epidemic. It is also done when deaths of pregnant women are reported, according to Health Department sources. The audit will also examine if the deaths could have been prevented. It will analyse whether there were lapses in medical assistance.
The audit will be done by a team of specialist doctors.
16 dengue cases
Meanwhile, 16 more dengue cases were confirmed in the district on Saturday. As many as 31 suspected cases have been reported from various parts of the district. Dengue fever has been reported from Puthur, Koorkanchery, Vellanikkara, Thrikkur, Kadangode, Cherpu, Nadathara, Paralam, Valappad, and Ollukkara.
The Ollur area has been in the grip of dengue fever, and the first case was reported from Marathakkara.
More than 50 cases were confirmed at Mulappayi and Kunjannampara, while two women died at Peruvankulangara and Marathakkara.
It was alleged that the waste dumped from some apartments in the city at Kunjannampara had triggered the spread of disease spreading vectors. Dengue fever cases have been widely reported from Anchery and Kachery areas too. One middle-aged person, a girl, and a boy died of fever at Kachery in the last one week.
Meanwhile, fever cases were reported from Paravarad, Anchery, Kuttanellur, and Peruvankulangara areas within the city corporation limits. More than 500 fever cases were reported form these areas. Apart from dengue, leptospirosis (rat fever) has triggered panic in the district. Priya, 25, wife of Sanoj of Karalam, died of leptospirosis two days ago.
Malaria cases were reported from Cherpu and the city. So far, more than 25 cases have been reported. In all, 1,261 people sought treatment for fever in various hospitals in the district. Of them 101 were admitted.
Incidentally, hospitals are overflowing with patients. The number of inpatients at the Thrissur district general hospital is 360 as against its capacity of 240. As many as 35 patients are undergoing treatment for dengue fever at the hospital. The situation is no different in other government hospitals.
