Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Jul 7: Prema Bhandary (51), working in a town-based cooperative bank, succumbed to suspected dengue on Monday July 6 night. Prema, wife of the late Shivanand Bhandary, was a resident of Mandadi on SVS College Road in B Casba village.

She was an employee of Bantwal Agricultural Service Cooperative Bank Ltd. She displayed symptoms of flu three days back. As medicines dispensed by local medical practitioners did not have the desired affect, she was admitted into Fr Muller Hospital in Mangaluru on Friday. Although she was kept in the intensive care unit of the hospital and treated, she did not show improvement in health condition, and died on Monday night, her relatives said.

Prema is survived by a son. Taluk medical officer, Dr Manjunath, said that blood test is being conducted to determine whether she suffered from dengue.

In the meanwhile, municipal councillors are claiming that fogging have not been conducted in a number of areas in the town, although the threat of spread of communicable diseases is looming large. They say because of improper disposal of garbage in areas like the town, Baddakatte, Jakribettu, Bypass, B C Road, Kakunja, Kaikamba, Ajjibettu, Micro Station, Sanchayagiri and other areas, the entire town is reeling under the fear of deadly diseases.

A lady from Kaikunja had been afflicted with dengue last week, and she is being treated. Already two persons, one each from Navoor and Vittal Peruvai have died of dengue. People are angry that cleanliness has not been given the importance it deserves. The municipality and health officials have been saying that they are finding it impossible to conduct fogging work because of shortage of staff.