4 kids with malaria admitted to Civil Hospital in a month

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 29

Four children who were suffering from severe malaria were admitted to the paediatrics unit of the Women and Children Hospital in the past one month.

Apart from this, around 10 confirmed cases of malaria were reported by the paediatrics OPD.

Doctors at the paediatrics unit said the number of children affected with malaria remained low this year as compared to previous year. The doctors warned that parents must take precautionary measures to keep the disease at bay. They attributed the slight decrease both in dengue and malaria patients to intensive awareness drives and field activity by the health department officials this year.

Talking to The Tribune, Dr Manita Bansal, paediatrician at the women and children hospital, said, “Children affected with malaria are less as compare to last year. And there is no dengue case reported in the hospital till now. Apart from four admissions, we came across around 8-10 cases of malaria in the OPD.”

Dr Bansal added that malaria spreads with the bite of Anopheles Mosquito that often breeds in large water bodies/ponds. “Fever (round the clock or on alternate days) coupled with chills are some of the manifestations of malaria fever. The patient affected with plasmodium vivax malaria is not affected much and can take rest at home after medication but those affected with plasmodium falciparum are the complicated cases where patients are admitted at the hospital,” she added.

The complicated malaria cases can cause to reduce patients’ platelets count, blood sugar levels and even result in coma.

To prevent the disease, do not let the mosquito breed in your vicinity and use mosquito repellents.