The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : 2 die of diarrhoea symptoms

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 07, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

2 die of diarrhoea symptoms

By Our Staff Reporter

Patients, who were admitted with nausea, undergoing treatment at the K. A. P. Viswanatham Government Medical College Hospital in Tiruchi on Monday. — Photo: M. Moorthy .

TIRUCHI, SEPT. 6. Two persons from Srirangam reportedly died of suspected symptoms of diarrhoea today.

According to authorities of the K.A.P. Viswanatham Government Medical College Hospital, Thangam, a 90-year old man, had high blood pressure at the time of admission and died of stroke subsequently. Velu (50), who was admitted to the intensive care unit, died later in the day.

They were admitted along with eight others who complained of similar symptoms. They belonged to Khajamalai and Srirangam in the city limits and Inamkulathur.

Problem with tablets?

Some among them, referred by the Srirangam Government Hospital, reportedly complained that they developed the symptoms after consuming Diethyl Carbamazine Citrate (DEC) tablets, distributed by the Health department as a precaution against filariasis, on Saturday.

Hospital authorities said they could not confirm whether the deaths were caused by the consumption of DEC tablets. They insisted that even if the tablets had caused reaction, the symptoms would have been an itching sensation and inflammation . Moreover, the reaction would have been immediate.

"In any case, 10-15 patients are admitted to the hospital daily with acute vomiting and diarrhoea", said the dean in-charge, V. Thirugnanam. Revenue department officials, who conducted an enquiry in the hospital, endorsed the observation by the hospital authorities.

Health Department officials said the three-day operation to distribute DEC tablets which ended today, had been planned to cover 22.5 lakh people in the Corporation area, municipalities and villages.

The District Collector, V. Pandian, said 30 persons so far complained of complications after consuming the DEC tablets and were admitted to government and private hospitals.

Maintaining that medical officials ruled out that the symptoms were caused by consumption of DEC tablets, he, however, said complications could have occurred owing to non-adherence to the stipulation, highlighted through the media.

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