Date:10/05/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/05/10/stories/2004051004570400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Infant dies of asphyxiation

By Our Staff Reporter

KARIMNAGAR, MAY 9. In a bizarre incident, a 50-day-old baby boy died of asphyxiation when water entered into his lungs while he was being given a bath in Manikyapur village of Bheemadevarapalli mandal on Sunday. Incidentally the infant was administered polio drops a couple of hours earlier.

The incident created panic among villagers as the boy died immediately after being administered the polio vaccine. However, the district immunisation officer, Aleem, and others rushed to the spot immediately after knowing about the reported death and found that the infant had died due to asphyxiation.

The District Medical and Health Officer, A. Anantha Reddy, said the boy was administered the polio vaccine at around 7.30 a.m. and given milk at around 8.30 a.m. Later, he was given a bath at 9.30 a.m. Soon after the bath, the boy's body turned blue leading to his death.

Dr. Reddy clarified that the death was not due to the polio vaccine. He said the vaccine was administered to about 125 children from the same village and no one had developed any side effects.