30 cases in a day as dengue sweeps Delhi

The sharp increase in dengue cases over the weekend has most of the hospitals in Delhi and Gurgaon brimming with patients. So much so, that new patients have to go hospital-hopping till they find one that will admit them.

The sharp increase in dengue cases over the weekend has most of the hospitals in Delhi and Gurgaon brimming with patients. So much so, that new patients have to go hospital-hopping till they find one that will admit them.

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Since Saturday, Delhi has clocked 123 dengue cases, taking this year’s toll to 263. That, as well as cases from the neighbouring states, has most of the 44,000 beds in the Capital’s 750 government and private hospitals filled to capacity.

Dehradun-resident Utkarsh Gulati, 23, came to Delhi after his platelet count fell to 40,000 (normal range is 1.5 to 4 lakh). He got a bed in Max Super Speciality Saket after being turned down by three hospitals for want of space.

In October, when dengue season peaks, most private hospitals reserve at least 10 beds. Over the past three days, these hospitals have been getting 50 cases every day, of which more than 25% test positive, making the real numbers higher than figures reported by civic authorities.

“We are taking beds from other departments to accommodate dengue patients. Till last week we would get two cases a day. Now, I alone get 10 cases a day,” said Dr SP Byotra, chairman, department of medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.