Pune records first suspected dengue death of the year, an 8-year-old girl

An 8-year-old girl in Pune died on Sunday during treatment after her condition worsened following a dengue infection. It is the first suspected dengue death in Pune city this year. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) administration has since stepped up vector surveillance, public awareness campaigns and prevention measures.

Dr Prashant Udavant, a paediatrician at Ruby Hall Clinic, said the girl had suffered fever and abdominal pain for four to five days before she was brought to the clinic's OPD. Her family had earlier got her treated by local doctors.

She was treated for about 24 hours at a local hospital in the Lohegaon area, but her condition worsened. Her platelet count at the initial test was about 2 lakh, which is considered within the normal range. As her health deteriorated, however, she began to have difficulty breathing. She was rushed to Ruby Hall Clinic on the afternoon of October 17. At admission her blood pressure had fallen very low and her breathing difficulty was severe.

The medical team immediately began resuscitation and admitted her to the ICU. Her platelet count had by then fallen to about 50,000. Her ferritin level was also raised, which indicates a severe inflammatory response in the body. This raised concern about dengue-associated haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH).

Dr Udavant said, "The initial diagnosis was dengue shock syndrome with HLH. The girl suffered severe dengue-related shock, serious liver injury, kidney failure and progressive multi-organ dysfunction." Her condition worsened further on Sunday morning. Severe liver damage, impaired kidney function and falling blood pressure caused multiple organs to fail one after another. At about 8 pm on October 18, she suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. The team of doctors tried everything, but she died during treatment.

PMC health officer Dr Nina Borade said, "The report has been received from Ruby Hall Clinic, and it clearly states that the girl had a dengue infection." A death audit committee will examine the case in depth to confirm whether the death was caused by the dengue virus.

According to PMC officials, more than 2,000 dengue patients have been recorded in the city this year. The insect control department has found mosquito breeding sites and has also collected fines from construction sites and other areas. Dr Borade said the PMC has launched a vigorous survey drive and intensified information, education and communication (IEC) campaigns. Preventive measures such as fogging around the dead girl's home in Lohegaon were also started immediately by the PMC.