With six people reported to have died of Chikungunya and four of Dengue number of deaths increased to 25
With six people reported to have died of Chikungunya and four of Dengue on Tuesday, the number of deaths from vector-borne diseases in Delhi has shot up to 25.
Even as AAP government claims to have controlled the outbreak compared to last year, over 1,000 cases of Chikungunya have been reported in the capital this season. Cases of dengue are also up by 50%, taking the total number so far to 1,158 in September, according to a report by Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
At a private hospital in Noida, the conference hall has been converted into a fever clinic that accommodates over 60 patients. "Not only Dengue, this year there has been an influx of Chikungunya patients. So much so that our OPD is overloaded and there're beds even in corridors of the hospital so we don't turn away patients,' Dr Sanjay Mahajan, a senior physician told NDTV.
But by the side of patients' beds are their families, an equal partner in the suffering, who have dropped everything to attend to their loved ones.
Vishesh works in merchant navy and was at the Mumbai port when he heard his 80-year-old grandfather had been shifted to hospital. He dropped everything and flew to Delhi to be with him.
"This fever affects the entire family because everyone is worried and taking turns to be with him in the hospital. My sister has come from Ranchi," he said.
In the conference hall-turned-clinic, Mr Dyrga Narayan and his wife are by the side of their 17-year-old son Manish Kumar, a class 12 student who is down with dengue for the last 10 days. Durga Narayan had to take leave from him office and his wife from her part time job, who fears she won't get it back.
As Delhi government and BJP who controls the municipal bodies traded charges, 387 cases of dengue were reported in the last week alone.