Dengue cases rise to 1,908 in Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 20 (UNI) Despite a dip in the temperature, dengue showed no signs of abatement as 88 more cases were reported, taking the total number of viral disease patients in the capital to 1,908.

The dengue death toll in the capital so far is 40.

MCD officials said of the total number of reported cases till 1000 hrs this morning 1,202 are from Delhi alone.

Central Zone, Shahdara(N) and Najafgarh continued to remain the worst affected areas in Delhi with 222, 156 and 142 cases respectively.

Dengue patients from across the country continued to flock the AIIMS.

AIIMS Medical Superintendent Dr D K Sharma said a suspected dengue patient died last night. ''It was not confirmed if the patient dengue or not,'' he added.

He said 36 fresh admissions had been made in the institute in the past 24 hours till 1000 hrs while 30 patients were discharged.

In all, 185 patients area admitted in the institute, he added.

Dr Sharma said 150 suspected dengue patients are under observation in AIIMS.

''The disease is not abating. We are getting a constant stream of people in AIIMS. The numbers are on the rise,'' Dr Sharma said.

However, he expressed the hope that with the changing weather mosquito breeding and dengue will come down.

More than 22,000 patients have been screened at the AIIMS emergency OPD since October 3, doctors said.

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

UNI NR SK BD1748