Dengue menace refuses to subside as five more people died due to the disease during last 24 hours at lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital and AIIMS, taking the death toll to 30 this year.
However, municipal corporations' data released on Monday says that only 17 deaths have been reported so far which is far from the reality on the ground.
According to experts, this year Delhi is witnessing the worst dengue outbreak, which has infected even more than 4,000 people contrary to the reports of South Delhi Municipal Corporations' (SDMC) data which says that only 3194 dengue cases have been recorded till now. The figures raise serious questions against tall claims made by municipal corporations regarding carrying out mosquito control measures.
While, 6 deaths have taken place at lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital in East Delhi, the latest victim of dengue is Ram Babu,24, a slum dweller and a resident of Mayur Vihar Phase-I. He succumbed to dengue on Sunday night. According to Dr. Amita Saxena, the patient came to the hospital in a very critical condition and died due to Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS). "Even on Saturday night, a-34-year-old female died due to the mosquito-borne disease," said Dr. Saxena.
On Monday, 18 fresh cases of dengue patients were admitted in the hospital, and total 106 suspected dengue cases are still admitted, said Dr. Saxena.
Meanwhile, the Centre-run RMl hospital has reported over 1022 suspected dengue cases till date with 703 confirmed dengue patients. So far, RMl hospital has witnessed six deaths.
Situation is no different at Safdurjung hospital. Dr. AK Rai, Medical Superintendent told The Pioneer, "In the past 24 hours, we have admitted patients having fever, out of which 21are dengue cases."
So far, three people died due to the viral disease at Safdurjung hospital. Even the private hospitals are overflowing with patients where beds under the economically weaker sections (EWS) category are running to full capacity.
On Sunday, the AIIMS reported three cases of dengue deaths. Sources say, "Three deaths have taken place in the past 24 hours, which includes 78-year-old male and two females." A total of six dengue deaths have been occurred so far at AIIMS, adds the source.
However, it may be noted that, earlier AIIMS reported three dengue deaths. Apart from an AIIMS technician, a son of an AIIMS staffer also died last week. In July, a 10-year-old Manipuri girl had died at the AIIMS on August 5 after a week of high fever. More than 45 AIIMS staff, doctors and employees are suffering from dengue and are admitted here, said a senior doctor at AIIMS.
The city's lok Nayak Hospital, which is known for the blood bank facility, has also witnessed the six dengue deaths this season. The hospital official told The Pioneer, "In the past 24 hours, 14 new dengue admissions have taken place. So far, six deaths have happened due to dengue with 337 patients have been confirmed to have dengue."