Dengue Claims Fourth Life in Karnataka’s Mangaluru

Earlier, 2 children from the city and a woman from Kadaba taluk in Dakshina Kannada succumbed to the infection.

Every year, between 200 million and 400 million people in tropical and subtropical regions of the world contract dengue fever.

(Photo: iStockphoto)

In the fourth case of dengue-related deaths in the district, Nagesh Padu, a BTV cameraman, died on 21 July after a week of getting treatment at a hospital in Mangaluru, The Hindu reported.

Earlier, two children from the city, aged 10 and 12 each, and a woman from Kadaba taluk in Dakshina Kannada succumbed to the viral infection.

He was admitted to the hospital on 17 July, just a day after his friend — who had been suffering from the infection — got discharged. He was found to be having a Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) reaction, which is rarely found in dengue patients.

Notably, even the two children who died earlier had suffered the same reaction.

Samples of the three victims have been sent to the virology laboratory in Manipal.

The Dakshina Kannada district administration has been carrying out vector source reduction exercises along with imposing heavy fines on private establishment owners where mosquitoes are found to be breeding.

A press release mentions that 23 people were admitted to hospitals after being tested positive for the infection. 21 of them were from Managaluru.