Fourth child dies of diarrhoea in Panipat within a week

A two-year-old boy from Desraj Colony died of suspected diarrhoea at the Civil Hospital here on Sunday morning, becoming the fourth child to succumb to the disease in Panipat within a week.

The deceased, identified as Tarun, was the son of Rajesh Kumar. According to Rajesh, his wife had been admitted to the civil hospital with diarrhoea four days ago. “My son used to stay with her in the hospital and often drank water from the cooler there. She was discharged on Saturday evening, but Tarun fell ill with loose motions and vomiting. I brought him to the civil hospital around 6 am on Sunday, but he died before doctors could admit him,” Rajesh said.

At least three more children are currently battling severe diarrhoea in the hospital’s emergency ward. An 11-month-old boy from Jasbir Colony in Noorwala, a three-year-old from Garh Sarnai village and another three-year-old from Tehsil Camp area were admitted after their condition deteriorated.

Dr Sukhdeep Kaur, incharge of the emergency ward, said a team of medical officers was treating the patients. “We are providing round-the-clock treatment to children admitted with severe dehydration and diarrhoea,” she said.

Hospital sources confirmed that diarrhoea cases have surged in the district. “On average, 25-30 diarrhoea patients are being registered daily in the civil hospital OPD, while several more are reaching private hospitals,” a source said.

District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Rinku Sangwan, who took charge just three days ago, confirmed Tarun’s death. “The family refused a postmortem, but the child’s medical history points to diarrhoea. A detailed inquiry will be conducted on Monday,” he said.

Dr Sangwan revealed that after earlier deaths, 11 water samples were collected from affected areas. “Five of them failed quality tests. We have written to the Public Health Department to repair leakages in potable water pipelines,” he added.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Vijay Malik, however, maintained there was no outbreak in any particular pocket. “Most cases are being reported from urban and peri-urban areas. Special teams are collecting water and food samples. Doctors and health workers have been directed to monitor the situation closely,” he said.

Appealing for caution, Dr Malik urged residents to maintain hygiene during the rainy season. “People should boil drinking water, avoid open food from markets and consume freshly cooked meals at home,” he advised.