Diphtheria resurfaces, claims 2 lives

Diphtheria resurfaces, claims 2 lives September 28, 2011 By DC Correspondent Ongole Diphtheria resurfaces, claims 2 lives Diphtheria resurfacing in Prakasam district claimed two lives. The medical and health officials are trying to find out causes behind the diphtheria attack, despite vaccination. Ch. Mahalakshmi, 9, of Veeraypalli in Ulavapadu mandal and G. Pilat, 6, of Yedluripadu in Zarugumalli mandal died of diphtheria. Mahalakshmi died while undergoing treatment at the Guntur government hospital on Monday while Pilat died two-days ago. Besides this, K. Saibaba Reddy of Oguru in Kandukur mandal, also suffering from diphtheria, was rushed to Chennai as his condition worsened. Treatment is not available for moderate and chronic stages of the disease, and anti-diphtheric serum is also not available for primary treatment in the district. Diphtheria was not reported in the last 15 years, and kept under control with the Diphtheria–Pertussis–Tetanus (DPT) vaccination and DPT booster doses for all schoolchildren. The district medical health officer, Dr K. Sudhakarbabu, said that a high-medical team from Hyderabad was going to visit the district to investigate the causes of the disease. He said that officials are going to conduct a DPT vaccination programme for children in 10 days. The district immunisation officer, Dr M. Kalyani, said that a separate ward will be started in RIMS hospital to treat diphtheria patients. She said that 60 vials of anti diphtheric serum will be procured from a private distributor in Vijayawada. She added that a team of microbiologists and specialists from RIMS visited the three affected villages. Dr Kalyani said that vaccination will continue till October 6. The joint collector, Mr P. Lakshminar-simham, asked people to administer DPT vaccine to curb the disease.