Diphtheria has reared its head in Malappuram again, this time claiming the life of a 15-year-old boy, Mohammed Ameen, who was un-immunised.
Two other partially immunised children, Ahmed Anas, 15, of Cheekode and Mohammed Jaseen, 11, of Mooniyoor, who were found to have clinical symptoms of diphtheria, are under treatment and doing fine. Mohammed Ameen, who was staying at a hostel in Ponnani, had come home on May 31. He developed fever on June 2 and was admitted to the Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, on June 6.
His condition worsened even though he was administered the anti-diphtheria serum and other drugs. The boy died at the MCH on Saturday following multi-organ failure. Health Department officials said the siblings and over 100 houses of all possible contacts of the children had been visited and people administered the Td booster vaccine against tetanus and diphtheria and a course of antibiotics.
In 2015 September also four cases of diphtheria were reported in Malappuram, two of whom had died.
