Thiruvananthapuram: A 47-year-old resident of Kerala's Thrissur district died on Sunday due to West Nile fever. This marks the first death in the southern state from the vector-borne infection in the last three years. Following the incident, the state health department took proactive measures, including deputing a team to the victim's locality, issuing directions for the general public to identify and destroy mosquito breeding sites, and taking samples from different parts of the district.
The victim, as per information, developed symptoms, including fever, on May 17 after he had received treatment in several hospitals. The disease was finally confirmed in Medical College, Thrissur. A health department release said "A special team from the medical office visited the locality of the victim and the district vector control board took samples from various parts of the district for testing. Steps were taken to destroy the mosquito breeding sites in the locality. Importance should be given to destroying the mosquito breeding sites everywhere".