Two more infants have died in the Malda Medical College and Hospital. The fresh deaths have taken the number of children dying from a viral outbreak in the district to five in the last 48 hours, sending alarm bells among parents of the children admitted in the hospital.
Authorities at the MMCH have already formed a monitoring committee to investigate the reasons for the deaths, though it is being claimed that the two children were taken to the hospital in their last stages of their illness.
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According to sources, the babies who died this morning were a nine-month-old from Jharkhand and a six-month-old from Bhutni area in Malda. They were admitted in the MMCH with cold, fever and breathing problems yesterday, sources said.
Officials at the MMCH, however, said that the situation was under control as the children admitted to the ward with similar symptoms are being given proper treatment and medication. “The two deceased were brought to the hospital in a very critical stage,” an official said.
According to the Principal of the MMCH, Dr Parthapratim Mukherjee, a committee of expert doctors have been looking after the children admitted there round the clock. “There is nothing to be alarmed about because the parents brought these two infants very late and the doctors could do nothing to save them even though they tried their best,” Dr Mukherjee said