MillenniumPost
Delhi

Chikungunya: Toll mounts to four, over 1k cases

The patient, Prakash Kalra, was a resident of Mathura. He died of kidney failure as a result of complications arising from chikungunya. Earlier, the hospital reported the deaths of three men on Monday of the disease.

According to the hospital, R. Pandey, 65, admitted to Ganga Ram on September 11 from Ghaziabad-based Yashodhara Hospital, died on Monday morning.  “Pandey’s test for the vector-borne disease came positive with an extremely high viral count,” said a senior official of the hospital.

Pandey, a diabetic, died after sepsis set in due to chikungunya fever. He died at around 4.30 a.m.
Another patient to succumb was 61-year-old Uday Shankar, who died on Monday afternoon.

“Shankar, a resident of Dwarka, was admitted to Ganga Ram on September 11. He collapsed due to chikungunya-led complications on September 12. He had reported positive for chikungunya on September 8 at the OPD,” said the official. Shankar was also suffering from a kidney ailment. The third death due to chikungunya complications was of 62-year old Ashok Chauhan.

Earlier on September 1, a 22-year-old woman succumbed to chest infection which set in as a result of chikungunya, at MCD’s Bara Hindu Rao Hospital. Taking cognisance of the deaths, the Delhi government on Tuesday announced an additional 1,000 beds for fever patients and a helpline number to provide information to people.

The beds will be provided in the three nodal hospitals for vector-borne diseases — Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, Janakpuri Super Speciality Hospital and Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital. It also announced a Control Room with a helpline number — 011-22307145.

Urging the people to not panic due to the rising cases of dengue and chikungunya, Delhi government’s Health Department said that it is fully prepared to deal with vector-borne diseases.

“The government has established dedicated Fever Clinics in its 26 hospitals (functional 24 hours), 262 Delhi government dispensaries (functional from 8 am to 4 pm) and 106 Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics (functional from 8 am to 2 pm) to cater to fever patients,” said an official statement.

According to the Delhi government, the treatment, lab diagnosis of dengue and chikungunya, are available free of cost in all Delhi government health institutions.

The Delhi government has said that private hospitals and nursing homes can increase their bed capacity. The government has deployed manpower to fever clinics and emergencies and also ensured that hospitals provide drinking water with ORS in all the hospital OPDs.

Elaborate fumigation drives conducted, notices issued: MCDs
In an effort to counter allegations of the Delhi government for their alleged failure to take preventive action against mosquito breeding, the three MCDs came up with the figures on Tuesday. Senior representatives of the three MCDs argued that the civic bodies conducted huge fumigation and notices were also issued to the owners wherever mosquito breeding was detected. 

“Till September 10, fogging and fumigation was done in a total of 15, 09,238 houses whereas 2,93,36,318 times the breeding checks in the houses were conducted. Legal notices were issued in as many as 95, 240 cases whereas prosecution was launched in a total of 10,508 cases. Total 7,500 field workers and 900 supervisors have been working continuously during day time across Delhi,” said Subhash Arya, Leader of the House in South MCD. He was flanked by South MCD chairman of the standing committee Shailendra Singh Monty, North MCD standing committee chairman Pravesh Wahi, East MCD mayor Satya Sharma besides other senior office bearers of the three MCDs. 

“The breeding and mosquito-genic condition were detected in as many as 1,21,524 houses. Keeping in view the fogging conducted in 15 lakh housed in Delhi, it is impossible to agree that the MCDs remained unsuccessful in doing so as claimed by the Delhi government,” added the leaders. They also claimed that cases of dengue are less this year compared to last year. “So far, 255 dengue cases have been reported whereas last year 499 cases had been reported in the same period,” added Arya. 

Arya further informed that the SDMC is conducting fogging with 482 ordinary machines and 9 tifa machines. “Apart from this, as many as 1,246 machines, 394 pumps and four power spray tankers are also being used. The entire machine strength is enough for conducting fogging and fumigation,” argued Parvesh Wahi. 

12 mobile vans to provide treatment of fever relating to dengue and chikungunya have also been started. The vans have been asked to work in double shift. The SDMC has made arrangements with 33 hospitals and certain labs for free tests of dengue and chikungunya in respect of cases referred by the Corporation. 

Delhi govt announces 1,000 more beds to tackle impending crisis
With four deaths each from dengue and chikungunya reported so far and hundreds infected, the Delhi government on Tuesday announced an additional 1,000 beds for fever patients and a helpline number to provide information to people. 

The beds will be provided in the three nodal hospitals for vector-borne diseases — Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital, Janakpuri Super Specialty Hospital and Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital. It also announced a Control Room with a helpline number — 011-22307145.

Urging the people to not panic due to the rising cases of dengue and chikungunya, Delhi government’s Health Department said that it is fully prepared to deal with vector-borne diseases. 

“The government has established dedicated Fever Clinics in its 26 hospitals (functional 24 hours), 262 Delhi government dispensaries (functional from 8 am to 4 pm) and 106 Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics (functional from 8 am to 2 pm) to cater to fever patients,” said an official statement.

According to the Delhi government, the treatment, lab diagnosis of dengue and chikungunya, are available free of cost in all Delhi government health institutions. According official data, the number of the dengue, chikungunya and malaria infections stands at 1,158, 1,057 and 21 respectively till September 10 in the national Capital. Delhi has so far witnessed four deaths due to the complications arising from chikungunya. Three patients died at Ganga Ram Hospital on Monday.  


Next Story
Share it