Mumbai: Hospitals get 3-4 dengue patients daily, doctors advise caution
Doctors are surprised by the growing number of dengue cases this month, with smaller hospitals also treating at least 10 patients at any given time.
Doctors are surprised by the growing number of dengue cases this month, with smaller hospitals also treating at least 10 patients at any given time.
For instance, Noor Hospital in Byculla has about 12 patients undergoing treatment for dengue infection, including two children who are recuperating in the intensive care unit (ICU).
“We lost two patients with dengue this season. A few days ago, a 37-year-old woman with dengue died while being transferred to another hospital,” said Dr Mohammad Khalid Noorani, chief medical officer, Noor Hospital, adding that 60% of the beds in the hospital are occupied by dengue patients.
Public health experts said that the high temperatures this month have triggered the breeding of Aedes mosquito in the city, which transmit dengue.
“We were expecting that the cases would drop by this week, but they have not. We are still admitting three to four dengue patients every day,” said Dr Gunesh Menon, intensivist at Criticare Hospital, Andheri.
Dr Alan Soares, physician at Holy Spirit Hospital, said, “The dengue burden has not reduced in our hospitals. We even lost an elderly woman with dengue infection, who developed multi-organ failure as a result of the mosquito-borne disease.”
Doctors said that treating patients with dengue poses several challenges. “Most patients with dengue experience a drop in their platelet count, for which doctors indiscriminately administer platelet transfusions. Only those who are likely to have internal bleeding should be given transfusion,” said Dr Pratit Samdani, physician, Breach Candy Hospital.
