New Delhi:
Delhi saw a fall in the number of swine flu cases this month. And while that's very comforting, what's now causing concern in Delhi and its neighbouring areas is the sharp rise in the number of dengue cases being reported.
As the number of dengue cases rise, hospitals of Delhi, battling swine flu for the last six months, have a new battle in hand.
''In the month of September, we had 50 patients who were admitted with dengue. In October, we have crossed 200. And if this can happen in one hospital, the trend would be the same at other hospitals,'' says Dr. N. K. Chaturvedi, Medical Superintendent, Ram Manohar Lohiya Hospital.
Shilpi Kaushik's pregnancy just got tougher. In her eighth month, she has come down with dengue.
''We thought she had a fever. But the doctors' medicines did not help. On the third day, she had itchy eruptions all over her body. She started vomiting. We put her through a test and found it was dengue,'' says Rajesh Kaushik, Shilpi's husband.
According to MCD officials, the total number of dengue cases in the capital this season has touched 280.
Two deaths have also bee reported so far including that of a nine-year-old.
''There's no cause for alarm. We've seen that the number of dengue cases this year is far less compared to last year. It's one-fifth in comparison,'' says J P Singh Health Secretary, Delhi Government.
The doctors, even private laboratories disagree.
"Government statistics are based on government hospitals. I don't think they've taken into account what's happening in private hospitals and labs. All the hospitals are choc-a-bloc. There's not a single bed available,'' says Dr Navin Dang of Dr Dang's Laboratory.
Though the figure is still far less than last year, when over 1,000 cases and two deaths were reported, the sudden surge has left the civic authorities worried.
The MCD has intensified measures to prevent the spread of dengue and were conducting fogging operations in various areas, officials said. (With PTI inputs)
As the number of dengue cases rise, hospitals of Delhi, battling swine flu for the last six months, have a new battle in hand.
''In the month of September, we had 50 patients who were admitted with dengue. In October, we have crossed 200. And if this can happen in one hospital, the trend would be the same at other hospitals,'' says Dr. N. K. Chaturvedi, Medical Superintendent, Ram Manohar Lohiya Hospital.
Shilpi Kaushik's pregnancy just got tougher. In her eighth month, she has come down with dengue.
''We thought she had a fever. But the doctors' medicines did not help. On the third day, she had itchy eruptions all over her body. She started vomiting. We put her through a test and found it was dengue,'' says Rajesh Kaushik, Shilpi's husband.
According to MCD officials, the total number of dengue cases in the capital this season has touched 280.
Two deaths have also bee reported so far including that of a nine-year-old.
''There's no cause for alarm. We've seen that the number of dengue cases this year is far less compared to last year. It's one-fifth in comparison,'' says J P Singh Health Secretary, Delhi Government.
The doctors, even private laboratories disagree.
"Government statistics are based on government hospitals. I don't think they've taken into account what's happening in private hospitals and labs. All the hospitals are choc-a-bloc. There's not a single bed available,'' says Dr Navin Dang of Dr Dang's Laboratory.
Though the figure is still far less than last year, when over 1,000 cases and two deaths were reported, the sudden surge has left the civic authorities worried.
The MCD has intensified measures to prevent the spread of dengue and were conducting fogging operations in various areas, officials said. (With PTI inputs)
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