PG Raghu, a native of Thalavadi in Edatva and a driver by profession, died at 1.30 am on Friday while under treatment at a private medical college hospital in Thiruvalla.
Published May 16, 2025 | 11:04 AM ⚊ Updated May 16, 2025 | 11:04 AM
PG Raghu was native of Thalavadi in Edatva and a driver by profession.
Synopsis: A 48-year-old man in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, who was undergoing treatment for suspected cholera, passed away. Preliminary blood tests indicated the presence of cholera, though health authorities are awaiting confirmation from stool sample tests.
A 48-year-old man in the Alappuzha district of Kerala, who was undergoing treatment for suspected cholera, passed away in the early hours of Friday, 16 May.
PG Raghu, a native of Thalavadi in Edatva and a driver by profession, died at 1.30 am on Friday while under treatment at a private medical college hospital in Thiruvalla. He was admitted to the hospital with severe diarrhoea and vomiting.
Preliminary blood tests indicated the presence of cholera, though health authorities are awaiting confirmation from stool sample tests, the results of which are expected by Friday.
Sources said that Raghu was also suffering from liver-related ailments. Following the suspected case, the health department and the Thalavadi Panchayat have intensified preventive measures in the area.
Water samples from wells and other sources have been collected for quality testing, and a vector survey is underway in the sixth ward of the panchayat under the supervision of ASHA workers. If confirmed, Raghu’s case will become the second cholera-related death in Kerala this year. Earlier, on 27 April, a 63-year-old retired agriculture department official from Thiruvananthapuram succumbed to the disease.
Health experts have cautioned that cholera can turn fatal without prompt expert care and have urged the public to take necessary precautions to ensure water safety and hygiene. Raghu is survived by his wife Raji and daughter Siva Parvathy.
Raghu had tested positive for Cholera from a blood sample on Tuesday. Following that, the District Medical Officer (DMO) held a meeting to assess the situation, while the panchayat held an emergency session on Wednesday.
Officials stated that stool test results are awaited to confirm the infection, as Cholera is typically identified in stool rather than blood. They suspect the bacteria may have entered the bloodstream through a gut ulceration, though further investigation is needed.
Water samples from the region have been sent for testing. While water is being supplied from outside sources to some parts of southern Thalavady during summer, the patient’s area reportedly does not fall within this distribution zone.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Dileep V Kumar.)
