844 cases of dengue confirmed in Delhi
POSTED November 16, 2009 - 16:54 | POSTED BY Neharika Sabharwal
Last edited by Kangna Agarwal on November 16, 2009 - 17:52
"We have recorded 32 new dengue cases in the capital in the past 24 hours. Of these, 13 have recently travelled outside Delhi and came back with high temperature," said N. K. Yadav, chief medical officer of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
The union health ministry admitted that the disease was "massive" stating that more than 200 cases of dengue have surfaced in the capital in past six days.
Till date, two persons have succumbed to the disease in the city. The first being a 15-year-old boy at AIIMS on Oct. 23 and the secont of a nine-year-old boy at the LNJP hospital on Oct. 26.
Efforts to curb the spread of dengue
Debashish Bhattacharya, the state nodal officer for dengue cases stated that the Delhi government has issued stringent order to all the medical institutes for better identification of suspected dengue patients.
“We issued an order yesterday (Saturday) that patients that come in with dengue symptoms must be admitted and given treatment. If the hospital feels it cannot treat patients then it must stabilize condition of serious patients before transfer,” said Bhattacharya.
He further said that majority of the infected patients do not required blood transfusion. 'Most can be stabilized with two or three bottles of saline or intravenous fluids, “he said.
The civic authorities have constituted a team of health officials to check the mosquito breeding places across the city. In addition, the MCD has hired health workers to spread awareness in colonies.
About dengue
Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease caused by any one of four closely related dengue viruses. The virus is transmitted from person to person by Aedes mosquitoes (most often Aedes aegypti) in the tropical regions.
Dengue fever commonly referred to as "break bone fever," is characterized by high fever developed within 3–14 days after the bite of an Aedes mosquito. Other symptoms include vomiting, headache, acute pain in joints and skin rash. There is no specific or approved vaccine and treatment for dengue.
