- Two children died of cerebral malaria in Kanker district during the monsoon season
- Five other children with malaria are undergoing treatment at Kanker government hospital
- One child's death was investigated; preliminary autopsy did not indicate malaria cause
Two children have died of cerebral malaria in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district, while five others are undergoing treatment at a government hospital during the ongoing monsoon season, officials said on Monday.
Another child from a tribal residential school in Sarandi village of Kanker district, who had earlier been diagnosed with malaria, also recently died, they said. However, officials maintained the child had recovered from malaria before his death.
Following allegations that the death was caused by malaria, the body was exhumed for post-mortem examination. While the preliminary autopsy report did not indicate malaria as the cause of death, the detailed report is awaited, they added.
The health department has intensified malaria screening in villages as well as tribal residential schools and hostels across the district. Positive cases began surfacing from July 24 during the ongoing screening drive, Chief Medical and Health Officer RC Thakur said.
Cerebral malaria is a life-threatening neurological complication of Plasmodium Falciparum infection, resulting in coma and severe brain damage.
Eight-year-old Kareena Vishwakarma and Subhash Kumeti, aged nine, died at the Kanker Government Medical College Hospital on July 25 and 26, respectively, Thakur said.
Five children from different parts of the district are currently admitted to the medical college with malaria, the official said.
Children who test positive but have mild symptoms are being treated at home, while those with severe symptoms are being referred to hospitals, he said.
"We have adequate stocks of testing kits and medicines. Health teams, in coordination with other departments, have been actively carrying out extensive screening and treatment in affected areas," the official said.
Subhash Kumeti was a student of a boys' tribal residential ashram (hostel) at Mardapotti village, a tribal welfare department official said.
A malaria screening camp was conducted at the ashram on July 22, during which three to four students tested positive and were provided treatment.
Kumeti had tested negative at the time, but his condition deteriorated on July 24, following which he tested positive for malaria, the official said.
His parents were informed and they took him from the hostel for treatment. He was later admitted to the Kanker Government Medical College Hospital, where he died, she said.
Malaria screening is now being conducted in all tribal hostels and residential schools in coordination with the health department, the official added.
Kareena Vishwakarma, a resident of Domanharra village, was initially admitted to a nearby community health centre before being referred to the medical college after her condition worsened, another official said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
