Delhi government acts to curb dengue

NEW DELHI - The Delhi government has swung into action to contain the rise in dengue cases by issuing a host of advisories and announcing several services while urging Delhiites not to panic.

Eight mobile vans have been stationed in Okhla near Jamia Nagar in southeast Delhi, officials said. Being one of the worst affected by the disease, over a dozen dengue deaths have been reported from the area, according to the Holy Family Hospital.

“The mobile vans will be used to transport patients to Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital in Malviya Nagar and back. Two Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS) ambulances have been stationed at Batla House and Abul Fazal Enclave,” the Directorate Health Services (DHS) said in one of the advisories Sunday.

Meanwhile, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in Shahdara and Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital will operate 24 hours to treat the patients. Blood storage facilities are available in eight major city hospitals like Guru Teg Bahadur, G.B. Pant, Lok Nayak, among others.

The state government has also launched a 12-hour special helpline — 22307145 — which will be operational 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

It issued several advisories in various newspapers, stating the symptoms of and preventive measures for the vector-borne disease and urging the people not to panic.

Delhi Saturday reported 36 cases of dengue - the highest in a single day this year, taking the total number of cases to 384, according to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

However, the private hospitals claim much higher numbers. Moolchand Hospital has reported 35 cases while Max Healthcare says the total number of dengue patients is 224 at two of its branches. Apollo Hospital has received 41 cases till now.

With the Commonwealth Games round the corner, officials of the health department are evidently a worried lot. They are working overtime to control the dengue menace before the October event to portray a positive picture of the host city.

MCD Commissioner K.S. Mehra said this week that no civic body employee would get a weekly off till the monsoon season gets over.

MCD spokesperson Deep Mathur said: “Our officials have been working overtime with hand-held fogging machines to prevent further outbreak of dengue. Additional vehicle-mounted fogging machines have also been deployed.”

Dengue is transmitted by the bite of the Aedes mosquito. High fever for 4-5 days is usually accompanied by severe headache, pain in the eyes, muscles and joints, and rashes. After the fever goes away, the platelet counts start dipping - the most dangerous phase of the disease.