Lt Governor Najeeb Jung today asked Delhi government and civic bodies to mount full efforts to tide over the growing incidences of dengue and chikungunya, appealing all to rise above political considerations to deal with vector-borne diseases which have claimed several lives this season.
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Later, they were taken to a hospital in Bengaluru where they were diagnosed with dengue. “Also, we have sought medical history of the deceased patients, whether they had any co-morbid conditions”, Nadda said on the sidelines of a symposium held here on liver transplantation.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain made the appeal as numerous dengue and chikungunya patients come to Delhi hospitals from other states.
Jain said that four of the five deaths had been reported from the same hospital, which made the situation quite suspicious. “So, 1,000 additional beds would now be available in hospitals in Delhi”. “If the patient is positive for chikungunya, it is clear that the virus has led to complications and death”, said a doctor, who did not want to be quoted.
“The five deaths from dengue took place between September 1-13”, a top AIIMS official told PTI. The World Health Organisation said that in recent years, globalisation of travel and trade, unplanned urbanisation and environmental challenges including climate change has had a “significant” impact on transmission of vector-borne diseases.
“Two elderly persons, both aged above 70 and belonging to Delhi, died on September 15 of chikungunya complications at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH)”.
Senior officers of the Union Health Ministry, officials from National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), Medical Superintendents of Central Government hospitals such as AIIMS, DR. RML Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Safdurjung participated in the meeting. “We are working day and night”, he added.
The number of affected people from the two diseases has in the capital alone is almost 3,000.
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and Shalimar Bagh Fortis also reported the death of one elderly patient each, who were admitted with chikungunya fever which aggravated their chronic problems of heart and other infections.
The review committee report on the deaths attributed to dengue and chikungnya has also revised the dengue figures.
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Jain issued a notification stating that Chikungunya as a “deadly disease” after meeting with Union Health Minister J P Nadda.
