Another dengue death in Delhi, toll rises up to 21

Another person in Delhi has succumbed to dengue, taking the toll to 21, with his family alleging that two of the three hospitals they took him to refused to do the test for the vector-borne disease.

Harish Chauhan, 38, from south Delhi's Deoli village, died on Friday at Batra Hospital. His family claimed a hefty amount was spent on his treatment.

The family also claimed that they took him to two other hospitals which allegedly didn't diagnose dengue while Batra Hospital treated him for liver infection first.

The victim's brother Mukesh Chauhan alleged that they took Harish to MadanMohanMalviyaHospital on September 11 after he complained of fever and started vomitting.

"But the doctors gave him tablets and an injection and asked us to take him back home. They did not test him for dengue. In the night, my brother's condition deteriorated and around 12.30 AM (September 12) we rushed him to SafdarjungHospital," Mukesh claimed.

According to him, the hospital admitted Harish and sent him to the medicine ward and gave him intravenous treatment.

"While my brother's condition worsened, doctors on night duty said that when senior doctor will come in the morning and examine my brother. We waited till 10 AM but no senior doctor came to see him. When we insisted, they asked us to take him anywhere at our risk," Mukesh alleged.

He claimed that Batra Hospital treated Harish for liver infection.

"They treated him for liver infection for the first five days. On September 17, they told us he had dengue. His condition further deteriorated and he passed away yesterday."

Mukesh claimed that Batra Hospital asked him to pay for the liver treatment before they handed over the body and charged a hefty amount.

BatraHospital issued a statement which said "Patient was presented with a serious episode of acute chronic liver disease with bleeding varices and drowsy state (in hepatic encephalopathy). This is a very serious condition with very high mortality rate."

The patient was first stabilised and then was administered dengue test which revealed that he was exposed to dengue well before and his body already developed antibodies against dengue virus, said Rakesh Kumar Chaturvedi, Managing Director of Batra Hospital Medical Research Centre.

"...It was very important and urgent to treat the bleeding problem and at BHMRC we did the same and simultaneously took care of dengue symptomatic treatment like fever, blood transfusion etc...," he said.

A 34-year-old woman from Kalyanpuri died in the afternoon at Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital. According to hospital medical superitendent superintendent she was a suspected dengue patient.

"She was admitted with low platelets but without transfusion her platelets started rising but suddenly her condition worsened as she started bleeding and died at the ICU. We have sent her samples for dengue testing. Reports are awaited," said Dr Amita Saxena, the medical superintendent.

According to the medical superintendent of Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, the woman who died on Saturday afternoon was a suspected dengue patient.

Battling rising number of dengue cases, Delhi government on Saturday ordered that 55 government-run dispensaries be converted into 'Fever and Dengue Clinics' from Monday.

Health Minister Satyendar Jain directed these clinics to operate from 7 am to 9 pm on all days, including Sundays and holidays, till further orders.

"Based on the feedback about practical functioning of these 55 clinics, the government plans to increase the number of Fever Clinics in Delhi, to deal with the current situation in the national capital.

"Staff will be deputed in these clinics in double shifts so that check-ups of people coming here with fever and suspected dengue complaints are done without any delay. These clinics will function in the dispensaries of Delhi government," Jain said.

Yesterday, Delhi government had decided to immediately increase 795 beds in 48 new private hospitals and nursing homes on a temporary basis by granting them provisional registration certificates for three months.

Government has also added 400 beds to its existing capacity.