Dengue death toll at 22 in Delhi; Total cases 957

New Delhi, Oct 9 (UNI) Dengue continued to spread in the national capital as the total number of cases rose to 957 and the death toll shot up to 22 with one more patient succumbing to the viral disease at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Naveen Chandra, a resident of Delhi, died last evening after suffering dengue shock syndrome, doctors said. He was admitted to the hospital on October 5.

MCD officials said 957 cases were reported in Delhi hospitals till 1000 hrs today of which 590 are from the capital.

As the dengue deluge continued in AIIMS, the management today announced a contingency plan under which 100 additional doctors and 50 interns have been put on duty in the dengue ward.

''All the additional doctors and interns will report to the Medical Superintendent of the Main Hospital for strengthening patient care,'' an AIIMS spokesperson said.

Some private wards have been converted into the general dengue ward to accommodate patients.

''Additional space has been created in the New Private Ward area (100 beds) by transferring the admitted dengue patients. Wards C-6 and D-6 have been designated as dengue wards,'' he added.

The contingency plan was decided at a meeting of heads of departments which was chaired by AIIMS Director P Venugopal.

The meeting also decided to form a supervising committee of two resident doctors-- Dr Anil Sharma and Dr Binod Patra-- which will work as an interface between patients and the administration.

''The committee will ensure proper coordination between the patients, the blood bank, administration and the laboratory. It will supervise the dengue operation in AIIMS,'' Dr Sharma said.

He said an automatic platelet counting machine will also be installed in the laboratory to expedite test results.

Dr Sharma said more private wards will be converted into general wards if required.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's son-in-law Vijay Thanka, who was diagnosed with dengue on Wednesday at AIIMS, was today. Dr Singh's other -- Madhav-- will be discharged in a few days, doctors said.

''He is yet to complete his treatment course. He is recovering well,'' the doctors said.

Rohan, the Prime Minister's other grandson diagnosed with the viral disease at the institute, was discharged yesterday.

In AIIMS, 41 more dengue patients were admitted in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of cases to 173.

Eighteen patients were discharged from the hospital in the same period. More than 6,500 patients have been screened at the AIIMS emergency OPD since Tuesday.

''The number of dengue patients is growing by the hour. AIIMS doctors are already working over time to ensure that all the patients are treated. The new wards will provide free treatment,'' Dr Sharma said.

''The resources at AIIMS have been stretched to the limits and its time that the Union Health Ministry announces some emergency measure so that resources can be mobilised,'' he added.

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