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Delhi reports its first dengue death, sees spike in cases in July

Dengue shock syndrome arises from the life-threatening hemorrhagic fever, internal bleeding and resulting low blood pressure, a deadlier form of the treatable dengue fever.

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Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik creates a sand art on Dengue awareness with the message ‘Be Alert! Dengue’ at Puri
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The national capital reported its first dengue death on Tuesday, of a 17 year old girl who passed away in the capital's Lok Nayak Hospital last week. Farheen, daughter of Mohd Aqil, from north east Delhi's Jafrabad area died from dengue shock syndrome, according to the death certificate issued by the hospital, on July 21, in the early morning hours.

According to wire reports, she had been admitted the previous night.

Dengue shock syndrome arises from the life-threatening hemorrhagic fever, internal bleeding and resulting low blood pressure, a deadlier form of the treatable dengue fever.

The death comes on the heels of Delhi registering 90 cases of the mosquito-borne disease, by July 23. According to the Delhi government, 38 of these are from within Delhi and 52 outside. What's alarming is the spike in reported cases in the past month. According to the database of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme, by June 28, Delhi had only 28 reported cases. July, with its rains, has thus seen a spike of almost 60 cases.

Delhi, last year, saw almost epidemic levels with 15,867 cases and 60 deaths, enters the season with a sense of foreboding. Though the city will see a normal monsoon this year, unlike last year's abysmal one, rains may have little to do with mosquitos breeding. Vector borne disease experts routinely say that it is water that collects and stagnates inside houses that is the biggest criminal.

The Delhi government said on Tuesday that it is prepared to handle the dengue season, with an up and running Dengue Control Cell. It has identified 'high-risk areas' from last year's cases, and is working with local bodies to prevent the disease from spreading. 'Fever corners' have been set up at all 33 government hospitals, 262 dispensaries and 106 mohalla clinics. Dedicated dengue beds have been earmarked in hospitals. Adequate quantity of diagnostic kits -- NS1 Ag (ELISA based) and MAC ELISA -- have been provided to all sentinel surveillance hospitals,said the government in a statement.

It added, orders have been issued to cap platelet count test at Rs. 50 and NS1 Elisa test at Rs. 600.

The centre too has been holding high level meetings for months, on dengue. Union health minister JP Nadda held them April onwards and health secretary BP Sharma met state health authorities in March, directing them to make dengue a notifiable disease.

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