Tufani Bhuniya, a resident of Christophar Road, Ward 59, died of dengue and Madhabi Patro (42), a resident of Belgachia Main Road, Ward 34, succumbed to malaria in Beleghata Infectious Diseases Hospital. According to a hospital official, both were admitted in a critical condition.

Patro’s death certificate stated that he died of “severe malaria”. Subodh Dey, MMiC, Health said the hospital did not get enough time to conduct tests in Patro’s case. “The cause of the death mentioned in the death certificate is the result of the clinical diagnosis the doctors had made by seeing the patient’s symptoms. She has tested negative for both malaria and dengue in the KMC malaria clinic,” he added. Jhuma Das, Councillor of ward 34, however, said Patro has died of vector-borne diseases.

As for Bhuniya, Snehanshu Roy, the councillor of Ward 59 appeared clueless and least interested in the matter. “I am busy in an important meeting. I do not have any information about the death,” he said.

Raju Das (40), a resident of Dakshinapur Katapur in Jagacha (Howrah) also succumbed to malaria on Thursday morning. “He had been suffering from high fever for the last few weeks. He was at first admitted to a local nursing home but was later shifted to Jain Hospital. Blood tests confirmed that he was suffering from malaria. Yesterday, he was admitted to Howrah General Hospital where he died,” said Mayor Gopal Mukherjee, Howrah Municipal Corporation.

Vector-borne diseases, including unknown fever, have already claimed 22 lives in the city this year. While 10 have died of malaria, six have succumbed to dengue. Three others have succumbed to unknown fever while Japanese Encephalitis, Meningo Encephalitis and Viral Encephalitis have claimed three more. According to a civic health department official, 41,223 people are afflicted with malaria in the city with 4,781 being plasmodium falciparum cases. There have been 105 cases of dengue this year, he added.

State Congress supporters, meanwhile, held a protest in front of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to protest against the outbreak of vector-borne diseases on Thursday.