No need to declare Dengue as epidemic yet: Delhi govt.

[Snowy Owl]

No need to declare Dengue as epidemic yet: Delhi govt.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200610031440.htm

New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) Refusing to push the panic button yet on the spread of deadly dengue, which has claimed 11 lives and affected nearly 500 people in Delhi alone, the NCT Government today said there was no need to declare it an epidemic as of now.


Taking stock of the situation, a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sheila Dik**** today decided to intensify the anti-dengue drive, including issuing instructions to schools and asking every Minister to ensure the disease does not spread in their respective areas.


"There is no need to panic and we are not declaring it an epidemic yet," Health Minister Yoganand Shastri told reporters after the meeting.


Shastri said the number of dengue cases reported has come down as compared to the last few days, however, adding that the disease was still spreading very fast in the capital.


He said while 497 cases of dengue have been reported so far, the number of deaths due to the disease stood at 11.


It was also decided in the meeting that school children of all Delhi schools will have to go to school wearing fullsleeve shirts and the necessary instructions were being issued to the principals.


Earlier, Shastri held a meeting of the concerned officials to review the situation, where it was decided that the district health officers will be held responsible if the disease was not brought under control and strict action will be taken against them if there were any lapses on their part in tackling the situation.


Shastri said the awareness campaign on preventing the spread of the disease will also be intensified.
​

 

[Snowy Owl]

Re: No need to declare Dengue as epidemic yet: Delhi govt.

<table style="width: 768px; height: 1633px;" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"><tbody><tr><td valign="top">Dengue not an epidemic: Delhi govt
http://www.ndtv.com/topstories/showtopstory.asp?slug=New+steps+to+control+dengue+in+Delhi&id=20404&category=National

<hr color="#9a0000" width="100%"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top">

NDTV Correspondent

Watch story

Tuesday, October 3, 2006 (New Delhi):

The government of Delhi has decided that it will not declare the dengue outbreak for the time being as the disease claimed 14 lives.

Reports say close to 1000 people have reported symptoms of dengue.

Chief Minister Shiela Dixit on Tuesday held an emergency meeting of her Cabinet to discuss the outbreak.

"Mr Mangat Ram will handle the control of the disease in industrial areas. Announcements and spray of medicine will be undertaken. Mr Raj Kumar will handle the control of Dengue in flood-affected areas. We will try and curtail the spread of Dengue. Dengue has not been declared as an epidemic so far. It is not required," said Yoganand Shastri, Delhi Health Minister.

A special drive will be carried out in Delhi government hospitals to provide blood platelets and beds and wards for dengue patients.

Shastri is also holding a meeting with medical superintendents of all government hospitals.

All ministers have been given the duty of monitoring and supervising the cleanliness drive in their respective areas.

The Union Health Minister is likely to chair a meeting later this afternoon with the Principal Secretary Health, the Director General Health Services along with municipal authorities.

But dengue now appears to be spreading to other parts of north India as well 12 cases have been reported from Haryana, seven from Punjab.

In Rajasthan, 12 people are believed to have died from dengue related illness. Reports also spoke of the disease in Noida, outside Delhi and in Kashmir and Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, one man has died of dengue in Pune's KEM hospital. The victim belonged to a slum area.

AIIMS ill-equipped

Separately, an NDTV undercover reporter who toured the special dengue ward at AIIMS reveals the hospital is not equipped to deal with a steady stream of patients.

At AIIMS, dengue patients were found applying saline drips to other patients belying government claims that extra doctors were deployed to deal with the situation.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences or AIIMS is considered India's top medical facility.

Pictures shot by hidden camera at the hospital show patients accommodated in corridors and tents after the ward ran short of beds in the wake of dengue outbreak.

The NDTV team at the hospital reports, "not a doctor or nurse could be seen at the ward and patients complained no one was willing to listen to them".

A patient suspected to be ill with the disease said, he was refused admission to AIIMS - the hospital saying it cannot take any more patients.

Notices issued

On Monday, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi issued notices to a dozen hospitals in the capital for allowing mosquitoes breed on their premises.

The Delhi health department has deployed an additional 2,400 officials to contain the outbreak.

It also plans to launch an intensive mass awareness drive through advertisements in newspapers about the disease.

They also want to take necessary preventive measures such as keeping coolers clean and not accumulating water in and around residential and office complexes.
<hr color="#9a0000"></td></tr></tbody></table>
​