Teen is 1st dengue fatality of year

First death this season due to dengue in the city was registered as a 17-year-old succumbed to the disease. Farheen, a resident of Jafrabad in northeast Delhi, died in the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital on July 21 and the death certificate lists dengue shock syndrome as the cause.

According to a relative, Farheen was admitted to the Delhi government’s Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital because of dengue symptoms like fluctuating fever and vomiting and tested positive for the vector-borne disease. “She was shifted to L.N.J.P. Hospital on the night of July 20 where she died the next morning,” said her relative.

About 90 cases of dengue have been reported in the national capital this year till July 23. Last year, the city saw a staggering 15,867 dengue cases, the worst in 20 years with the disease claiming 60 lives.

Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said the city government is “all prepared” and plans to open 350 dengue clinics to tackle any situation. Asserting the Delhi government was prepared, Mr Jain hit out at the BJP-led civic bodies, saying, “Taking preventive measures for dengue is in the hands of the MCDs, and not ours. It is their job. From our end, treatment aspect is on our side, and for that we are all prepared. Last year, we had 55 dengue clinics and this time we are trying to open 350. About 95 per cent of dengue cases can be treated at home, and so we have tried to reach out to people through these special clinics.” Fever corners have been established at all 33 government hospitals, 262 dispensaries and 106 mohalla clinics. The Delhi government has also issued orders to put a cap on the rates for platelet count test at Rs 50 and NS1 Elisa test at `600. “Directions have been issued to the hospitals to arrange adequate quantity of logistics. Flow charts of the national clinical guidelines for classification, diagnosis and management of dengue issued by the Union government have been printed and distributed to all the hospitals,” a statement by the Delhi government said.

All the government and private hospitals have been directed to admit dengue cases on priority basis, and to ensure that no patient is denied admission.