Delhi reports first dengue fatality

Fakir, 7, a resident of Okhla Mandi succumbed to the disease while undergoing treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Meanwhile his younger brother is still reported to be in critical condition.

Dr N K Yadav, Municipal Health Officer, MCD stated, “Fakir’s reports came in Friday morning. We are still awaiting his brother’s medical reports.

“Although the boy is a Delhi resident, he contracted the virus in Bihar where he had gone for a vacation with his mother and younger brother. We will record his death as an “imported” one as it wasn’t a case of locally acquired infection.”

In the 26 positive cases reported so far in the capital, 11 are from Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) area, 6 from New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and another six from outside the state.

Yadav stated, “The location of the remaining three is yet to be ascertained.”

The main breeding sites
The disease starts in the fall season when the temperature is ideal, and the muddy and stagnant water pits available provide the best breeding places for mosquitoes.

However, this year the dengue has struck before time. According to health officials, the construction work going on ahead of the Commonwealth Games with large water pools are proving ideal conditions for breeding mosquitoes.

The major breeding sites are offices and sports venues, including Games Village, MTNL Exchange in Hauz Khas, G B Pant Hospital, the DMRC project on Saket, Indira Gandhi Stadium and R K Khanna Stadium.

The MCD issued challans and steep penalties to those responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of these places.

Municipal Commissioner K S Mehra said, “Since dengue is a viral illness, with a cyclical trend of increase in cases after every three-four years, which coincides with Commonwealth Games this year, there is an urgent need to take adequate precautions.”

Preventive measures undertaken
Though, the sudden surge in positive cases is a cause for concern, the civic authorities state that the situation is under control and there is no need for panic.

Prevention is the only answer for this lethal disease. The MCD has constituted 3500 health officials to check the mosquito breeding places across the city and destroy the breeding sites by fumigation.

The civic authorities have undertaken spraying campaigns and door-to-door checks to stop mosquito breeding. They are stepping up public cleanliness and are educating people via media about the do’s and dont’s of dengue.

More about dengue
Dengue is transmitted by the bite of an Aedes mosquito infected with any one of the four dengue viruses. Symptoms appear 3-14 days after a bite from an infected mosquito.

The ailment is characterized by high fever, vomiting, headache, acute pain in the joints, and skin rash.

There is no specific treatment for dengue, and timely medical intervention can save the lives of patients with the more serious dengue hemorrhagic fever.