No let-up in fever cases

Five died of “unspecified fever” during the last week

Though public health authorities have stepped up mosquito-control measures, the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Tiruchi continues to receive a large number of patients suffering from fever including dengue.

More than 1,000 patients with different kinds of fever from Tiruchi, Pudukottai, Karur, Perambalur and Ariyalur districts have been admitted to the hospital. Of the 382 patients admitted on Monday, 253 were from Tiruchi district. Out of 253 patients, 31 tested positive for dengue fever. While 16 patients were from rural areas, 14 cases were reported from Tiruchi city. In addition to the Government Hospitals, all leading private hospitals in the city have been flooded with fever patients. Most of them are said to be mainly from Pudukottai district.

Bhuvaneswari (47) of Maradi near Uppilliyapuram, who was getting treatment at a private hospital in Cantonment with symptoms of dengue, died on Sunday. She was said to have been suffering from acute fever for the last 10 days. She had received treatment at a few hospitals before being referred to the Tiruchi hospital.

She was among five persons, who died due to “unspecified fever”, during the last one week in Tiruchi district.

While admitting that five persons have died due to “unspecified fever”, a senior official of the Health Department said they could have died due to other complications in addition to fever. “We have been carrying out various steps to prevent mosquito breeding. But admission of patients with fever continues to rise. There is no let up yet.”

Notices will be issued under the Public Health Act to those failing to cooperate with the health authorities in mosquito control drive. If residents disallow the authorities in detecting mosquito breeding grounds, police complaint will be lodged against them, he added.