Second Hepatitis A death reported in a family within two days in Kollam

Thiruvananthapuram: A 15-year-old girl succumbed to Hepatitis A while receiving treatment at the Thiruvananthapuram Govt Medical College Hospital, on Sunday, two days after her elder sister also died of the disease.

The deceased was identified as Neethu, of Cherikonam near Kannanalloor. Her sister Meenakshi, 19, also died due to Hepatitis A on Friday at the medical college hospital. Their brother Ambadi, 10, is undergoing treatment at KIMS hospital.

The family informed that it was Ambadi who first caught the virus.

"Ambadi was hospitalised for fever on April 23, and he was diagnosed with Hepatitis A. He was treated at a private hospital at Kannanalloor and later at ESI hospital Asramam. The siblings all were together at the hospital and in the meantime, Meenakshi and Neethu were tested positive. All of them were referred to the medical college hospital. Alleging medical negligence, the family shifted Ambadi to a private medical college hospital in Kollam and from there to KIMS," said Sunitha S, ward member.

The panchayat held a medical camp at the ward for testing everyone for the virus and four more people were tested positive. There are as many as 180 families living in the locality and all will be tested in the coming days to identify the cause of the spread, informed the local ward member.