As many as 420 persons in the State succumbed to fever and over 22 lakh persons took treatment this year, the government told the Assembly on Thursday.
Replying to the notice for an adjournment motion moved by Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Health Minister K.K. Shylaja said 74 persons had succumbed to H1N1 and 24 persons to dengue. Two deaths were suspected to be due to an infection by Shigella bacteria. Four cases of cholera were reported among migrant workers and one death was reported in Pathanamthitta.
The Minister told the House that timely intervention by the Health Department had managed to control the epidemic outbreak that had swept the whole of South India. She attributed the spurt in fever cases to climate change and the abnormal rise in temperature.
The Opposition staged a walkout, accusing the government of failure to handle the crisis.
Seeking leave for the adjournment motion, Mr. Radhakrishnan said over 1,000 people had succumbed to fever and 50 lakh people had undergone treatment in various hospitals. He said shoddy management of the situation by the government had resulted in the spread of the epidemic across the State.
Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala termed the situation a setback to the State’s achievements in the health sector, warranting the declaration of a health emergency. He urged the government to shed its false prestige and seek Central assistance to handle the crisis.
Mr. Chennithala said the epidemic outbreak could be traced back to the delay in premonsoon cleaning, absence of coordination and failure to stock medicines.
The Opposition members trooped out after Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan refused to permit a debate on the issue.
BJP MLA O. Rajagopal also walked out, alleging that the LDF and UDF were indulging in a blame game when the State was going through an unprecedented crisis in the health sector.