With two more deaths reported in the Government Hospital here, the toll of dengue deaths increased to 26 in the last three months. This is in sharp contradiction to the Government claim of 15 deaths in the last eight months.

The latest victims were Santoshkumar, 26, from Madhya Pradesh who was working in a private industry in Avanashi, and Jayapriya 32, of the city.

Santhoshkumar was suffering from high fever and throat pain for the last few days and blood samples taken at the private hospital, where he was being treated, tested dengue positive. He was shifted immediately to the Government Hospital here. He died later late last evening, hospital sources said today.

Jayapriya from Tatabad was being treated in the special ward. She too died last evening.

With this the toll in the last three months in the district went up to 26, even when the Government recently submitted to the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court that only 15 dengue deaths were reported in the last eight months in eight districts.

About 50 persons are undergoing treatment in the hospital and 130 patients were being treated for various types of fever, hospital sources said.