Malaria has claimed its first victim in the new year in Dakshina Kannada. A 10-year-old girl from Hatyadka in Belthangady taluk died due to malaria in the Regional Advanced Paediatric Care Centre (RAPCC) on Tuesday, said Rajesh, Disease Surveillance Officer.
He said her eight-year-old brother, who also has malaria, is on a ventilator and his condition is critical. They were brought together to RAPCC.
He said a team including him went on Sunday to the home of the deceased. He said everything at the residence was dry and there was no stagnating water found. The girl had visited Bangalore for a school trip and she may have contracted malaria there.
Fogging and surveillance of the area for people with fever was done. There is a stream near the home but it has flowing water. The house is in a very remote area and the family is poor.
The children were brought to the primary health centre (PHC) in Kokkada with vomiting and jaundice. At the PHC, the doctor advised both the children to be sent to RAPCC in Mangalore. It takes two weeks for a mosquito bite to materialise into fever. Fifteen days ago, the girl had fever for which she was taken to a local doctor. Then, after 15 to 20 days, they went to the PHC.
Senior officials from the Surveillance department in Bangalore arrived in Mangalore on Wednesday to visit Hatyadka and see what caused the malaria cases.
He said it is the first death due to malaria in 2014.
