Dengue stings Delhi; MCD says stepping up preventive measures

With dengue cases continuing to rise unabated in Delhi, the municipal corporations today claimed that they have stepped up preventive measures including fumigation of areas and issuing of challans to households and institutions to prevent mosquito-breeding in their premises.
North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has till September 12 reported 776 cases, the highest among the three civic bodies.
"We have already increased the number of beds in our hospitals. Now, we have stepped up anti-larval measures, advisories have been issued to ensure children wear full-sleeved shirts. And, we already have enough dengue- breeding checking resources, but will increase them on a need basis," a senior official of the NDMC said.

South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), which has about a strength of 2,400 employees deployed as dengue breeding checkers (DBCs) and field workers, today said, "We are increasing the fumigation drive as the cases have increased."
Over 80-year-old J C Bakshi of Lajpat Nagar area, however, alleged, that "no fogging has taken place in their area, even though there is such a big dengue scare."
"We have four vehicles for carrying mounted-spraying machines, but we have decided to increase that to 16 now. We are also seeking to make facilitation centres for having free blood test and ELISA test taken," SDMC Mayor Subhash Arya said.

He also added that the corporation has been penalising offenders for allowing breeding of mosquitoes in their premises.

"Over a lakh notices have been issued across the city to such offenders. From January, we have issued over several challans...And, 32 VIP challans have been issued in areas falling in the Central Zone till September 15, including at institutions like CPWD, DTC depot, PWD and Lady Shri Ram College," he added.
"We will continue to penalise offenders to serve as a deterrent to not allow breeding of mosquitoes," Arya said.
SDMC has reported nearly 500 dengue cases while recent death cases have come up from south Delhi.

Aman Sharma, a child from Srinivaspuri area of south Delhi died of dengue and his parents alleged that three private hospitals -- Max Saket, Moolchand and Batra -- refused to admit him citing unavailability of beds. He died on Sunday at Holy Family hospital in Okhla. The casualty was reported today.
Last week, seven-year-old Avinash Rout of Lado Serai in south Delhi had died of dengue after being denied admission by five hospitals which drove his parents to suicide, triggering widespread outrage.
One more death of a 29-year-old woman due to dengue was reported today in Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Hospital. With this death, the dengue death toll in the city has risen to 11.

The MCD, however has still kept their official death toll at 5.
The number of dengue cases continued to rise and inch towards the 2,000 mark.