De-addiction centre deaths to be probed

Three residents of Kottayam facility die within seven days, six under treatment

The Health Department has launched a probe into the episode in which three residents of a private psychiatric hospital and de-addiction centre at Thrikkodithanam, near Changanassery, died in a span of seven days.

The deceased persons have been identified as Sherin, 44, Mukkoottuthara; Gireesh, 55, Thiruvananthapuram; and Yohannan, 23, Thottakkad.

According to reports, the three persons, one woman and two men, had earlier been undergoing treatment at Puthujeevan Trust Hospital for Psychological Medicine and De-addiction.

Sherin collapsed while being shifted to a nearby hospital last Sunday.

Gireesh, who was hospitalised with symptoms of an infectious disease, died on Wednesday at a private hospital in Thiruvalla. Yohannan was referred from a private hospital at Thiruvalla to Government Medical College Hospital, Kottayam, on Thursday night and died on Saturday morning.

Local people protest

Six residents of the centre have been admitted to the Kottayam Government Medical College Hospital. Another resident was discharged on Saturday after undergoing treatment at the Thrissur Government Medical College Hospital. Following the incident, local residents staged a protest against the centre, demanding action against its director V.C. Joseph.

In the wake of the deaths at the centre, a team of doctors led by District Medical Officer (DMO) Jacob Varghese visited the hospital on Wednesday and Thursday.

“Examination of their medical samples at the National Institute of Virology, Alappuzha, has ruled out diseases like Nipah, COVID-19, H1N1, leptospirosis and dengue fever,” the DMO said.

Toxicology tests

An autopsy of Sherin’s body attributed her death to myocarditis while Yohannan died of pneumonia.

Medical samples of Yohannan have been sent to the Amrita Institute of Medical Science, Kochi, for toxicology tests.

Health Minister K.K. Shylaja has directed the Principal Secretary, Health, to probe the incident.

She said that an investigation had been launched upon the reporting of the first death itself. Relatives of the second victim turned down the request for an autopsy. A strict directive to conduct autopsy was issued as soon as the third incident came to light.

Forensic team

“That the deaths were not due to COVID-19 became evident during a primary examination itself. A detailed investigation has been ordered to ascertain the actual cause of these deaths. A medical board led by Renju Raveendran, forensic head of the Kottayam medical college, has been constituted to probe the incidents. Blood samples have been sent to the forensic laboratory,” Ms. Shylaja said.

District Collector P.K. Sudheer Babu said the examination of samples collected from those under treatment had confirmed that it was not a case of COVID-19 outbreak.

He said that he had directed Additional District Magistrate Anil Oommen to look into the details.

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