Report all chikungunya cases, says Delhi government

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Friday directed the municipal corporations to make chikungunya a notifiable disease immediately.

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Friday directed the municipal corporations to make chikungunya a notifiable disease immediately.

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This will ensure that every hospital, nursing home and laboratory shares information about the cases of the viral disease it handles.

“This is imperative for monitoring the situation and to take requisite remedial action,” the government order read.

“Till now the hospitals were just giving us the number of cases. Since the addresses were not given, the MCDs could not do fogging. Now, we have asked the hospitals to provide complete data,” said Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain.

Municipal health officials said they were working on making the disease notifiable, a municipal health official said on condition of anonymity. “Hospitals and laboratories that do not provide data will be served notices. Till now, chikungunya was not notifiable because of fewer cases,” the official said.

As Delhi battles an outbreak of chikungunya, a mosquito-borne viral disease that has killed 15 and infected 1,057 people so far this year, Union health minister JP Nadda and Jain held a review meeting on Friday.

Nadda assured the Delhi government of reserving additional 1,000 beds in the Central government-run hospitals for dengue and chikungunya cases. “Have assured all support to the Delhi government and the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana in tackling the rising cases of dengue and chikungunya,” he said.

Jain said he suggested fever clinics be set up in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana so that the rush in Delhi hospitals is reduced and the patients are not inconvenienced.

The number of fever patients visiting Delhi hospitals each day has tripled -- from 2,000 to 6,000. Nearly 80% of the patients them are coming from outside Delhi.

The government also directed mohalla clinics, polyclinics and dispensaries to remain open on all days, including Sundays and gazetted holidays.

“Delhi government hospitals have already been directed not to refuse to admit any patients. Our hospitals have about 1,500 beds lying vacant, so there’s no need to panic” the Delhi minister said.