Delhi is witnessing its biggest outbreak of dengue cases in five years.
Delhi is witnessing its biggest outbreak of dengue cases in five years. The strains of the disease that have emerged as the more dominant subtypes this year involve rapid drops in platelet levels, leading to a rush at clinics, hospitals and blood banks. Doctors believe the coming four weeks could see a rise in cases as the temperatures haven't dipped yet.
Till September 5, 1259 cases of dengue had been recorded. This is the highest since 2009, when 1512 cases were recorded. The Delhi Health Department has issued an advisory to all hospitals not to refuse admission to any dengue patient. The hospitals have also been asked to increase the number of beds made available for the treatment of dengue patients.
According to a preliminary report by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the Type 2 and Type 4 strains of the disease have emerged as the dominant subtypes this season.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been conducting tests around the city to check for breeding grounds and have fined 114 institutions in the last 15 days. Among the prominent institutions that have attracted fines are the Jawaharlal Nehru University, NCERT and the Public Works Department.
MCD officials say they are working with Residents Welfare Associations towards an action plan to control larvae growth in neighbourhoods.