Hyderabad, Sept. 2 -- A seven-year-old girl died and 53 others fell ill after being administered chloroquine tablets during a malaria prevention programme at Gollaguppa village in Yetapaka mandal of Andhra Pradesh's Polavaram district on Tuesday, officials said.

According to Polavaram district collector K Dinesh Kumar, the incident occurred after health officials conducted a fever surveillance and medical camp in the village, where a high number of malaria cases were reportedly detected.

"As part of the programme, chloroquine tablets were distributed to villagers in accordance with the prescribed dosage based on age. Some schoolchildren were also administered the tablets at their schools," he said.

A seven-year-old student reportedly t...