Muvattupuzha: The police on Sunday registered a case over the mysterious deaths of five women inmates at an old-age home run by the Muvattupuzha municipality.
The women succumbed reportedly to a skin ailment within two weeks.
Six others who developed symptoms of the same disease are undergoing treatment at present.
Even though three deaths took place earlier, the incident came to public attention only on Saturday, when two more inmates passed away.
When the news made headlines, the municipal authority claimed they were not informed about such a disease outbreak at the old-age home.
Bineesh who is the caretaker of the old-age home claimed he had informed the matter to the ward councillor and relatives of the deceased.
Amid the controversy over the alleged mysterious deaths, bodies will be taken for autopsy on Sunday.
The caretakers said small wounds had appeared in the feet of the victims which worsened during the following days and spread to all parts of the body.
The inmates died after vomiting blood, the staff at the facility said.
Those who succumbed to the yet-to-be-identified skin disease over the last two weeks are Kamalam (73) of Perumbavoor; Eliyamma Scaria (73) of Piravom; Lakshmi Kuttappan (78) of Perumbavoor; Eliyamma George (76) of Thirumarady; and Amina Pareed (85) of Muvattupuzha.
As two of the victims, Kamalam and Eliyamma Sacaria, passed away on the same day — Saturday, July 29 — suspicions were raised by a section of residents of the area. Subsequently, the bodies of the two inmates were taken to Government Medical College, Ernakulam, for autopsy.
Eliyamma George died on July 15 and Lakshmi Kuttappan passed away on July 19. Amina was taken to her house by relatives when her condition worsened and she succumbed to the disease on July 27.
When the municipal authorities came to know of the deaths, they admitted six other inmates exhibiting similar symptoms to the Muvattupuzha General Hospital. They are Thankamma Samuel (81), Karthu Joseph (72), Leela Narayani (80), Kunhipennu (80), Janaki (88) and Geetha (87).
The authorities have also decided to shift all the remaining inmates to a safe rescue centre.
At the same time, caretakers said only three of the victims died of the skin disease and two others passed away due to old age.
“Another inmate named Kamalam had died during the first week of July. There were wounds on the feet of the woman,” said Joyce Mary Antony, the municipal councillor who had seen the body.
Amongst the five victims, an autopsy was conducted only on the body of Eliyamma George. However, the report is yet to be released. While Amina was buried, Lakshmi was cremated at the public crematorium of the municipality.
