UP govt officials interact with patients at Firozabad medical college

The officials, including Principal Secretary Alok Kumar, also went to Salai primary health centre and then to Abbas Nagar, one of the affected areas

Several senior officials of the Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday visited the state-run medical college here and interacted with patients of dengue and viral fever.

The visit comes after death toll due to dengue and viral fever in the district mounted to 50 on Friday.

The officials, including Principal Secretary (Medical Education) Alok Kumar, also went to Salai primary health centre and then to Abbas Nagar, one of the affected areas.

Kumar later got 8-year-old Hashmi and 11-year-old Zeenat from Abbas Nagar admitted to the medical college here.

Nodal officer Sudhir Kumar Bobde also visited the medical college and other affected areas.

Known for bangles and glass works, Firozabad is around 50 km from Agra and 320 km from the capital city of Lucknow.

District Magistrate Chandra Vijay Singh instructed officials of the municipal corporation and health department to ensure that stagnant water, especially in coolers, is drained out. Instructions were also issued to empty water from pots and plastic utensils.

Three fatalities were reported in Firozabad on Friday as the inflow of patients continued in hospitals of the district in the grip of the epidemic.

Considering the gravity of the problem, a six-member team of the Union health ministry had arrived here to look into all aspects of the disease, Additional Director (Health), Agra division A K Singh said on Friday.

Some similar cases have also been found in neighbouring Mathura, Agra and Mainpuri, officials added.