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No one died of chikungunya in the national capital?
NEW DELHI: Delhi government’s committee, to review the 13 recent deaths allegedly due to chikungunya, said none of them died due to the infection. Yet, all deaths
NEW DELHI: Delhi government’s committee, to review the 13 recent deaths allegedly due to chikungunya, said none of them died due to the infection. Yet, all deaths investigated had tested positive for chikungunya at five city hospitals.
The report verdict on three cases is pending because the Delhi government has not received all the relevant documents from the hospitals concerned.
Till September 10, the municipal corporations of Delhi confirmed 1,057 cases of chikungunya, and no deaths.
“Hospitals are supposed to inform the government about chikungunya cases and that is what we did. All patients who died at the hospital were old and had comorbid conditions. Chikungunya worsened these conditions and hence is partially responsible,” said Dr SP Byotra, head of the department of medicine at Sir Ganga Ram hospital, where five of the 13 deaths were reported.
This is not the first time that people are dying of chikungunya, why is the government shying away, he said.
Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, where four of the 13 deaths happened, also said the patients suffered from other illnesses as well. “Four were elderly with associated pre-existing chronic illnesses. It is difficult to determine as to how much each associated illness contributes towards negative outcome of the patient, despite optimal management,” said the hospital’s statement.
In case of dengue, the Delhi government listed only two of the seven deaths it investigated as “suspected dengue”. One was rejected on technical grounds and the verdict on four is pending. “The authorities should not get defensive about the deaths, but accept the situation and conduct concrete research to know the cause,” Dr DS Rana, Chairman, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain urged Delhiites to spend 30 minutes every day to check their homes and surroundings for stagnant water.
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