Kozhikode Medical College refutes report of 5 deaths due to inhaling smoke

Kozhikode, May 3 (IANS) A controversy has broken out over the death of five patients at the Kozhikode Medical College hospital following a short circuit at the room where the UPS are kept near the Casualty department.

It was around 8 p.m. on Friday night that the authorities at the Casualty department detected smoke coming out from the UPS room.

While the authorities have said no deaths took place because of inhaling smoke, the Congress legislator from Wayanad, T. Siddique, said three patients died after inhaling smoke.

The Kozhikode district authorities have now sealed the ward where the smoke was detected for detailed probe to be conducted on the reason for the short circuit.

Soon after the incident, the hospital authorities started shifting patients from the Casualty department.

While the hospital authorities have said that four deaths occurred before the smoke emanated, while the fifth patient was brought dead to the hospital.

But dismissing this was the Wayanad legislator T. Siddique, who said three patients died after inhaling smoke.

He added that the relatives of 44-year-old Nazeera brought from Wayanad told him that soon after the smoke covered the area, the patient was removed from the ventilator and was moved to another place and that was the time she breathed her last.

However, State Health Minister Veena George has ordered a probe into the incident.

The Kerala Director of Medical Education has been asked to head the team to conduct the detailed probe on what happened.

Meanwhile, 34 patients who were being treated at the Casualty department have been moved to a few hospitals in the locality.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the authorities have said if the relatives of the deceased who passed away seek a post-mortem, then it would be conducted.

Kozhikode Medical College hospital is the succor of the common man in the districts of Wayanad, Malappuram and Kozhikode and is one of the busiest hospitals in the public sector.

--IANS

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