Palakkad: A newborn girl died due to a congenital defect in Attapady in Palakkad district, taking the number of infant deaths in the backward region to 13 this year.
The remote Attapady is home to one of the largest tribal settlements in the State.
The two-day old child born to Santosh and Anita from Mukkali Chindakki hamlet died at the Thrissur Medical College Hospital Wednesday evening, health department officials said Thursday.
The baby, born prematurely, weighed 1.2 kg at birth and was suffering from jejunal atresia, a birth defect that causes intestinal blockages, Nodal Officer of Attapadi, Dr Prabhu Das told PTI.
Last year, eight infant deaths had been reported from the region.
"A study is needed to find out the exact reason for the increasing cases of new born deaths in the region," Das said.
A large number of infant deaths have been reported over the past several years in such tribal settlements in the state.