Chhattisgarh: In 48 hours, 3 children who were in quarantine centres die
May 28, 2020
Pendra/Baloda/Kabirdham (Chhattisgarh) [India], May 29 : Three children have passed away in the last 48 hours after their health deteriorated in different quarantine centres of the state.
A one year and six-month-old girl who was living at a quarantine centre in Pendra's Tikarkala died.
The deceased's father had come from Bhopal and was later shifted to a quarantine centre. He was working at a factory in Bhopal. However, the infant and her mother were living at their residence in Devargaon village in Chhattisgarh.
Damini, the mother of the deceased infant, alleged that she was not allowed to take water from the handpump in the village. Later, she, along with the child, went to the quarantine centre to live with her husband.
"My husband came from Bhopal. He was shifted to the quarantine centre in Tikarkala. I was advised not to come out of my house and even not allow us to take water from the pump. They used to call us 'corona'. My husband was tested COVID-19 negative," Damini told ANI.
Pooran Singh, father of the deceased said, "I worked in a tobacco factory in Bhopal. Our factory was shut down due to lockdown. I came to Bilaspur via train from Bhopal. I fled from the quarantine centre. Later, the sarpanch and other district administration officials sent me back to the quarantine centre in Tikarkala."
"My wife told me that she is not being allowed to take water in the village. After two to three days, they came to Tikarkala. My child's health condition deteriorated. She had fever and died on Thursday," he added.
Ashok Vategawakar, sub-divisional officer of police (SDOP) said, "After he came from Bhopal, he was quarantined in Tikarkala. During quarantine, the child died today."
Abhimanyu Singh, doctor at the district hospital, said that the post-mortem report of the child showed that her windpipe was blocked due to hiccup.
"Damini breastfeed her child today at the quarantine centre. The child was healthy until then. Later, the child fainted. A doctor and ambulance were sent to the quarantine centre. When the child reached the hospital, she was declared brought dead. I intimated the police. During the post-mortem report, we found gastric content in the windpipe. Her windpipe was blocked due to hiccup," he said.
In a separate incident, a four-month-old child, who was living at a quarantine centre in Balod district's Tenga, passed away.
Yogeshwar Nishad, brother of the victim's father said, "My brother came back from Chandrapur on May 14 and his family was quarantined in school. The child was not well. We admitted the child to Balod district hospital."
"The hospital administration was reluctant to admit the child. For several hours, the doctors did not attend the child," he added.
Uttam Sahu, Sarpanch, Gram Panchayat Tatenga said, "A family from Chandrapur entered Tatenga village. They were kept at a quarantine centre. On May 24, the child complained of fever. On May 27, he was referred to the district hospital. Today, the child passed away. I also got to know that the doctors did not attend the child."
In Kabirdham, a three-month-old girl, who was living at a quarantine centre, died in the district hospital.
"On May 11, the child's family came from Nagpur. The child was weak. On May 25, she complained of fever. There were around 85 people in that quarantine centre. She was brought to the hospital. On May 27 morning, the child was not showing any signs of life. Later, the doctors confirmed that the child was dead," said Chief Medical Health Office (CHMO) SK Tiwari.
