At ground zero, 125 taken ill

On Saturday, about 125 people at the Ramlila Maidan were diagnosed to be suffering from high fever, diarrhoea and fluctuating blood sugar levels.

On Saturday, about 125 people at the Ramlila Maidan were diagnosed to be suffering from high fever, diarrhoea and fluctuating blood sugar levels.

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Doctors say contaminated water from the tankers, nearby stagnant pools of water and the oppressive humidity during the day led to dehydration among people which further led to their falling ill.

On Saturday, more than 500 people were attended to by the doctors manning the medical unit at the grounds. Of the 125 people diagnosed with fever and diarrhoea, 25 persons, seven of them in serious condition, were sent to nearby hospitals in ambulances.

Doctors from the Indian Medical Association, from Delhia nd Ghaziabad (west), have set up a camp at the venue to ensure round-the-clock emergency medical care free of cost to the supporters. Armed with medicines for common ailments, bruises and cut injuries and also those for dehydration, gastro-enteritis and fever, the doctors claimed all of them are volunteering in support of Hazare.

Dr Sanjeev Chibbar said, “While most of the cases were that of dehydration and low blood sugar, we are more worried about fever and diarrhoea as the ground is a fit case for mosquito breeding. Since last night, we have attended 125 cases for these two ailments.”

Dr Vijay Pande and Dr Anshuman Tyagi, both from Ghaziabad, said, “Apart from people needing immediate drip as they suffer due to dehydration, we are also treating a lot of people with cuts and bruises that they suffered after they fall in the crowd.”

While the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had sprayed medicinal oil and DDT at the venue, doctors pointed out lack of fumigation by the civic body.

Yogender Chandolia, MCD’s standing committee head, said, “We carried out fogging on the first day. With rains stopped, we will now regularly carry out fogging thrice a day.”