One more dengue death, toll reaches 106
With 94 new cases in Delhi on Wednesday and death of a man at AIIMS, dengue continues unabated.
The government's measures to control dengue appeared to be having little impact with 94 new cases in the capital on Wednesday and the death of a 25-year-old man at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
Health officials said Rohit Sharma from Uttar Pradesh had been brought to the hospital in a very serious condition and died within an hour.
"His platelet count had decreased considerably leading to his death," said DK Sharma, AIIMS medical superintendent.
With Sharma's death, the total death count in the capital has increased to 35 while the national toll is 106.
The mosquito borne disease continues to spiral with 94 new patients, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the capital to 1,731.
In AIIMS, 27 new patients were brought in, totting up to 170 confirmed cases.
"Another 180 patients are under observation. The numbers could well increase, I do not think there will be any respite from the viral fever in the near future," said Sharma.
There was little respite in other parts of the country too with 5,804 people being treated in hospitals and clinics since the mosquito-borne disease assumed a virulent form in early September.
The dengue virus is spread by the bite of the female Aedes Aegypti mosquito that breeds in stagnant water. The disease is marked by high fever, skin rashes and pain in the joints. A sharp drop in the patient's blood platelet count can prove fatal.
As the post-monsoon period of September to October each year is known to be favourable for the breeding of the mosquito, experts continue to hope for a reprieve soon.
Officials said that out of the 1,731 patients being treated in the capital, 736 patients were from neighbouring states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan.
"Hospitals bordering Delhi are catering to most of the patients that are coming to Delhi," said Delhi's Health Secretary DS Negi.
Outside Delhi, Kerala with 794 patients remained the worst affected state, followed by Rajasthan (697), Gujarat (443), West Bengal (429), Uttar Pradesh (457), Tamil Nadu (307), Punjab (367), Maharashtra (240), Haryana (214), Karnataka (90) and Andhra Pradesh (35).
Health authorities are also battling chikungunya fever—spread by the same mosquito—with 1,651 confirmed cases reported although the number of suspected cases has crossed 1.3 million.
The maximum number of confirmed chikungunya cases have been reported from Maharashtra (679), followed by Karnataka (294), Andhra Pradesh (248), Gujarat (160), Tamil Nadu (111), Madhya Pradesh (62), Kerala (38), Rajasthan (24) and Pondicherry (9).
