News
|
||||
3
dead as viral heart disease hits Peradeniya The latest casualty of this disease, which earlier hit Badulla, was a security guard attached to the hospital. He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit yesterday amidst a panic situation in the hospital with the employees charging that authorities are not taking adequate measures to protect them. Hospital Director Dr. Chandra Gunathilake confirmed that two of the three deaths were due to myocarditis while a specimen of the third victim had been sent to the Medical Research Institute for further investigation. "About 10 to 15 patients are being treated at the hospital for symptoms of flu. But they are not diagnosed yet as myocarditis. They could be suffering from dengue or other viral diseases." A doctor and two hospital employees who attended to a suspected myocarditis patient are also being treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The patient, a final year medical student identified as 25-year-old Chaya Lankeswara, later died. The medical student is reported to have administered artificial respiration (mouth to mouth respiration) to a suspected myocarditis patient admitted to hospital on April 2. He was the first to die of the suspected disease. On Friday, a woman showing similar symptoms, also died. Meanwhile, Rathnasiri Lankeswara, father of the medical student, had lodged a police complaint, saying he suspected foul play and called for a full inquiry. Earlier in Badulla a strain of myorcarditis was reported, prompting health authorities to send a special team to investiage. A World Health Organisation team also visited the area to assist the local epidemiologists. Two students of a school in Badulla also died of a mysterious disease during this period. Their specimens have been sent to Colombo for further investigation. |
||||
Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
