Woman dies of dengue, 650 new cases in a week

In yet another dengue death in the city, the wife of a CATS ambulance worker lost her life on Monday, taking the death toll to six. The official figure, however, remains three as in its October third week report, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has not acknowledged the two deaths that took place at the Lok Nayak Hospital. But the hospital's Medical Superintendent has confirmed the two deaths.

Susheela, 55, died of dengue in Narela. Locals claimed that there have been six dengue deaths in the area in the last few days, though the official figure stands at only three, and two of them are from other states.

"She had not been keeping well for the last few days. Her blood report showed 80,000 platelet count, after which we rushed her to the Satyawadi Raja Harishchandra Hospital. She died of a low platelet count even before the second report came out. We have had six deaths in the area but there has been no help, so far," said Brahmadutt, Susheela's husband.

The mosquito-borne disease had claimed this year's first victim on August 1, when a 12-year-old boy died of dengue shock syndrome at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH). Then Meena Devi, 49, from Karawal Nagar, died at SGRH on September 2, and Rhoda Daimai, 26, from Manipur died at the Holy Family Hospital on August 27. It, however, took two months for the civic body to confirm the deaths.

The number of dengue cases reported this month till October 21 stands at 1,077, taking the total number of people affected by the vector-borne disease to 5,870.

Of the total cases, 2,884 were residents of Delhi while the rest were from other states. Of these 2,884 Delhi cases, 1,077 were reported this month, and 650 in the last one week of October. Of these, 320 were from Delhi and 330 from other states.

Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between mid-July and November-end.