KOLKATA: A 43-year-old woman, who had tested positive for dengue, died on Thursday morning at a nursing home in Ekbalpore. Noor Jahan Khatoon becomes the fifth dengue patient to have died in the KMC area, which has registered four such deaths in September alone.
Khatoon was admitted to the nursing home late on Tuesday with high fever and respiratory distress. Her condition gradually deteriorated and she died early on Thursday. The death certificate of the homemaker mentions “cardiac failure in a case of dengue”. She, however, died before the final confirmation report of dengue came in.
The woman, along with her family, lived on Kabi Tirtha Sarani under Ward 75 in the Watgunge police station area. Originally from
Samastipur in
Bihar, Khatoon’s husband, Mohammad Sattar, ran a small store in the Watgunge locality. After Khatoon’s death, the family, along with the kids, left for Samastipur for her last rites there.
TimesView
Our worst fears seem to be coming true. The areas stung by dengue last year have again started reporting a spurt in cases. But there seems to be a new list of affected areas. Nothing can be worse than people scared of a potentially fatal disease in the run-up to and during the festival season.
According to neighbours, Khatoon had been down with fever for the past few days. When medications from a local doctor did not work, she was admitted to the nursing home. Doctors said by the time she was admitted, her condition had already turned critical. “Even last year, many people from this locality were affected by dengue. Just when we thought the situation was better this time, this death took place. Many people here are down with fever even now,” said Mohammad Kalim, a neighbour. Residents accused the civic body of not doing enough to control the
mosquito menace. They alleged civic health workers were rarely seen with fogging machines. “The civic body did not seem to learn any lesson,” said another resident of the area, Mohammad Rezaul.
Even as Ward 75 councillor Belquis Begum confirmed the death, she pointed out the patient had tested positive for NS1, an initial test for dengue, but died before IgG and IgM tests could be conducted. She refuted the allegation of mosquito-counter steps not being taken. “We have been conducting dengue control measures regularly. But with this death, we will step up our vigilance. I have brought this death to the notice of the corporation,” she told TOI.
