The city has reported four cases of dengue deaths, while the BBMP has confirmed only two. Of the four deaths, three have been reported over the last two days from Vijnanapura area (ward 51).
The BBMP confirmed that the dreaded mosquito-borne disease claimed the lives of a 14-year-old boy, Vishnu, and Halamma (55) alias Bibi Jan, both residents of Ambedkar Nagar slum in Vijinapura.
Vishnu’s mother Vajra said that the boy was suffering from fever for the last three days and was treated at a private clinic at Vijinapura. He was later sent to the K.R. Puram Government Hospital and from there to Chinmaya Mission Hospital (CMH) in Indiranagar. The blood test at CMH hospital revealed that Vishnu was suffering from dengue. But by the time the required treatment was given, Vishnu died on Saturday. Vishnu, a resident of a slum on Yellamma Temple Road in Vijinapura, was studying in the eighth grade at a private Kannada medium school.
Unhygienic conditions at the slum and a number of butcher shops in the vicinity might have led to the boy’s death, the doctors said. Doctors at a private hospital also said that Imtiyaz, another resident of the slum, died of dengue. On Friday, Hamsa Kumari (22), resident of Gowdanapalya in Padmanabhanagar, who was initially treated for dengue, also died.
But the BBMP authorities claimed that Hamsa was suffering from typhoid and subsequently developed multiple organ disorder. However, test results are awaited, the BBMP health officer said.
Dr Manjula, BBMP Chief Health Officer, said that Hamsa faced other health complications too along with symptoms of dengue. Hamsa, who died at St John’s Hospital early on Friday, was tested positive for both typhoid and dengue. But in Vishnu’s case, it was dengue that killed the boy. The BBMP has taken up indoor and outdoor fogging at this ward following the endemic.
“We have informed all the District Health Officers to keep a tab on dengue and have deputed three sprayers in each BBMP ward. But the public too should take the initiative and clear garbage and close water containers,” she said. Health Minister Arvind Limbavalli held a meeting and reviewed the situation. He said 260 cases of dengue have been reported in the state, and of them 134 cases have been confirmed.