2 more dengue deaths in AIIMS;Death toll at 24

New Delhi, Oct 13: As the total number of dengue cases rose to 1,185 in the national capital, two more people succumbed to the viral disease in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) taking the death toll in the national capital to 24 so far.

Forty-year-old Bhuma Devi, fom Ghaziabad, died of dengue shock syndrome early this morning.

The shock syndrome claimed the life of 70-year-old Savita, a resident of Ballabhgarh, last evening. She was admitted to AIIMS yesterday afternoon.

At present, 160 dengue patients are admitted in AIIMS. During the past 24 hours, 44 more patinets were admitted to the institute and 42 were discharged.

More than 14,000 patients have been screened at the AIIMS emergency OPD since October 3, doctors said.

MCD officials said of the total number of cases till 1000 hrs yesterday morning, 766 are from the capital.

Central Zone, Najafgarh and Shahdara (North) continued to be the the worst affected areas which have reported 141, 90 and 88 cases respectively.

The hospital is conducting about 1,600 platelet counting tests daily with the help of four separator machines, functioning round-the-clock.

''We are still screening an average of 800 to 1000 patients every day.... The numbers are increasing,'' AIIMS RDA General Secretary Dr Anil Sharma said.

However, he said the institute's contingency plan had streamlined the management of dengue patients.

''No new cases from within the campus have been reported in the past 24 hours,'' he added.

While Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited patients on Sunday, Union Health Minister reviewed the management of dengue patients on Wednesday at the AIIMS.

Under the contingency plan in the institute, 100 additional doctors and 50 interns have been put on duty in the dengue ward by the AIIMS management from Monday.

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

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

UNI

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