36-yr-old succumbs to dengue; toll in Delhi at 22

A 36-year-old woman died of suspected dengue here this evening, taking the toll from the disease in the national capital to 22 even as Delhi government claimed the health situation in response to the vector-borne fever has "improved".

Family members of the deceased woman, Amita Sharma, alleged medical negligence on part of a private hospital where she was first treated.

While civic authorities are yet to update the official figure, which still stands at five, this was the 22nd dengue casualty reported in Delhi this season.

"She (Sharma) was admitted to a private hospital with fever, but wasn't properly treated there," alleged a family member.

"We then took her to a government hospital, where she was diagnosed with dengue. After that, she was admitted to another private hospital under EWS category. She passed away this evening due to multi-organ failure," the family member added.

With the city in the grip of the dengue scare, thousands of fever patients flocked hospitals to get tested for dengue while several others were admitted for treatment.

"Even today (Sunday), a large number of patients visited the fever clinics which have been set up to deal with the dengue crisis."

"People are still panicking as cases refuse to come down. Several patients having slight fever have also checked in at hospital fearing they have contracted the disease," a doctor at Safdarjung Hospital said.

Meanwhile, Delhi government today claimed that it was "winning the battle" against the deadly disease.

"The health situation is now better and we are winning the battle the against dengue," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters here.

More than 2,000 dengue cases have been reported this year.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain today conducted surprise inspection at Janakpuri's Super Speciality Hospital and Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital and took stock of the dengue preparedness there.

Recently, 200 new beds were set up at the hospital to accommodate the increasing numbers of dengue patients.

The health minister also met representatives of School Management Committee (SMC) to spread dengue awareness in 1,100 government schools in the national capital.

Meanwhile, a team of a municipal corporation staff were today allegedly not allowed to carry out dengue breeding checking at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's official residence here with the Delhi government saying that they had come only with the intention of "creating drama".

While the civic bodies, in a rather delayed response, are undertaking special preventive drives, Delhiites feel that the worst outbreak of the vector-borne disease in the last five years has exposed the "ill-preparedness" of the MCD in dealing with the menace.