Kasaragod: Anjushree Parvathy (19), the latest victim of contaminated restaurant food in Kerala, died because of bacterial poisoning of the blood, said Kasaragod district medical officer (DMO) Dr A V Ramdas.
In his preliminary report to the Director of Health, the DMO said the poisoning of blood by bacteria, also called septicemia, triggered multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS).
Minister of Health Veena George had sought a detailed report from the DMO on the treatment protocol followed by hospitals after Anjushree was diagnosed with food poisoning.
Anjushree, a resident of Thalaklayi village in Kasaragod's Chemnad grama panchayat, ordered one full chicken manthi, one full chicken 65, mayonnaise, and salad from Al Romansiah Restaurant at Adkathbail in Kasaragod town on December 31. The food was home-delivered for lunch and had by Anjushree, her mother Ambika, brother Sreekumar (18), and cousins Sreenandana and Anushree, both 19 years old.
The DMO initially hinted that the food poisoning could be because of mint chutney served along with the chicken manthi and chicken 65.
The DMO's statement, released through the Department of Information and Public Relations, gave the impression that mint chutney was the cause of food poisoning. The statement was withdrawn. Only Anjushree and one of the two cousins had the mint chutney and both fell sick, said the first statement.
The revised statement did not mention mint chutney. "We cannot conclude the source of contamination now. It was a preliminary report based on what the family told us," said Dr Ramdas.
Thalaklayi ward member Renuka Bhaskaran said both the cousins and Anjushree fell ill though only two of them had the chutney.
One cousin who did not have the chutney had stomach pain and a headache. But she did not go to the hospital, the member said.
However, Anjushree and the other cousin were vomiting and were fatigued. Both were taken to a private hospital in Delli on January 1. The doctors provided "primary care" and the two returned home. The cousin made slow progress but not Anjushree.
Her condition worsened on January 5 and she was taken to the same hospital. The doctors tested her blood, gave her IV fluid antibiotics, and sent her back home, said the DMO's report.
On January 6, Anjushree collapsed. She was first taken to a private hospital in Nullipady which referred her to a private medical college in Mangaluru. She died there on the morning of January 7, the DMO said in the statement.
