Investigation of a child malaria death during COVID-19 pandemic in a hamlet of Angul district, Odisha (India)

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to find out the cause of child death due to Plasmodium falciparum and associate co-morbidities in a hamlet of Garud village of central district of Odisha (India), Angul during the COVID-19 pandemic and to recommend necessary actions to prevent such unwanted death.Methods: A retrospective investigation was conducted bases on the death audit report of a female child belonging to Garud village of Angul district. Death was reported at the district headquarters hospital, Angul. Detailed history from the starting of first symptom till death with laboratory investigations were reviewed using the malaria death audit format of NVBDCP, Odisha. Along with in-depth interview with family members, mass screening using bivalent rapid test and slide test, treatment and malaria preventive measures were undertaken in the community.Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, one child death was recorded due to falciparum malaria infection. Along with the child, all two family members were infected with falciparum. The family belongs to small hamlet with eight households and 39 population. All 39 populations were screened for malaria and out of these, 11 number people were found positive of falciparum.Conclusions: COVID-19 pandemic resulted the major societal disruption due to lockdown and shutdowns affecting routine health care which may be attributed to the death of a child even in a in a well-resource setting district of Odisha. In such pandemic situation much more attention need to be given on the traditional infectious diseases which may cause unnoticed death.