DC | Kaniza Garari | 2 hours 14 min ago
Hyderabad: Two children suspected of contracting diphtheria have died, eight have been admitted to the Fever Hospital and over 50 have been treated for sore throat and swelling on Tuesday from Goppannapalli near Gachibowli.
The children who were rushed to the hospital were between the ages of three and nine. Four-year-old Prabhu died in Niloufer Hospital after respiratory failure, and five-year-old Vaishali died in Apurva Hospital near Gachibowli.
Confirmation of diphtheria is not possible immediately as throat swabs have to be taken and cultured for five days. District medical and health officers in Rangareddy have started distributing oral pills to children as a preventive.
Vaccination gives immunity to this deadly disease. Vaccination is given in six doses to children at the age of one, three and five. A booster dose follows at five years and 10 years of age. Obviously, all these kids had not been vaccinated.
A senior district medical and health officer said, “Goppannapalli is a slum on the Gachibowli road with labour workers who come from various districts of Andhra Pradesh. They are not aware of vaccines and most of them have not gone to the public health centres for immunisation.”
Diphtheria spreads via cough and nasal droplets and is highly contagious. Dr S. Srinivas Rao, a paediatrician, explained, “If the vaccination is not given, the bacteria can prove fatal as the lymph glands get swo-llen and it obstructs the respiratory system. It affects children under 12 years of age. Hence booster dose of diphtheria and tetanus at 10 years of age must not be overlooked. Most parents do not consider it important but that is a wrong notion.”
Paediatrician Dr S. Sivranjini explained that the disease is preventable but the swelling of the throat has been neglected by the parents. “The increased swelling produces toxins in the glands that spread very fast.”
As a stop-gap, oral pills are being distributed to all the children. District medical and health officer, Dr Naziruddin said, “Vaccination will have to be carried out but at a later stage. Presently those who have come in contact with the two deceased children need to be stabilised.”
Diphtheria was rampant in 1987 but due to aggressive campaigning and immunisation it is under control since 2005. According to a doctor we still have 0.01 per cent cases who skip immunisation and are carriers. They in turn affect those children with weak immune system.
States: Andhra Pradesh
Hyderabad: Two children suspected of contracting diphtheria have died, eight have been admitted to the Fever Hospital and over 50 have been treated for sore throat and swelling on Tuesday from Goppannapalli near Gachibowli.
The children who were rushed to the hospital were between the ages of three and nine. Four-year-old Prabhu died in Niloufer Hospital after respiratory failure, and five-year-old Vaishali died in Apurva Hospital near Gachibowli.
Confirmation of diphtheria is not possible immediately as throat swabs have to be taken and cultured for five days. District medical and health officers in Rangareddy have started distributing oral pills to children as a preventive.
Vaccination gives immunity to this deadly disease. Vaccination is given in six doses to children at the age of one, three and five. A booster dose follows at five years and 10 years of age. Obviously, all these kids had not been vaccinated.
A senior district medical and health officer said, “Goppannapalli is a slum on the Gachibowli road with labour workers who come from various districts of Andhra Pradesh. They are not aware of vaccines and most of them have not gone to the public health centres for immunisation.”
Diphtheria spreads via cough and nasal droplets and is highly contagious. Dr S. Srinivas Rao, a paediatrician, explained, “If the vaccination is not given, the bacteria can prove fatal as the lymph glands get swo-llen and it obstructs the respiratory system. It affects children under 12 years of age. Hence booster dose of diphtheria and tetanus at 10 years of age must not be overlooked. Most parents do not consider it important but that is a wrong notion.”
Paediatrician Dr S. Sivranjini explained that the disease is preventable but the swelling of the throat has been neglected by the parents. “The increased swelling produces toxins in the glands that spread very fast.”
As a stop-gap, oral pills are being distributed to all the children. District medical and health officer, Dr Naziruddin said, “Vaccination will have to be carried out but at a later stage. Presently those who have come in contact with the two deceased children need to be stabilised.”
Diphtheria was rampant in 1987 but due to aggressive campaigning and immunisation it is under control since 2005. According to a doctor we still have 0.01 per cent cases who skip immunisation and are carriers. They in turn affect those children with weak immune system.
States: Andhra Pradesh
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