Click to play videoNew Delhi: Health authorities have called a high-level meeting on Monday after a jump in dengue cases in the national capital. Close to 555 confirmed caseshave been reported in New Delhi.
At Kailash Hospital, about 300 patients have been treated for the dreaded disease caused by mosquitoes carrying the infecting organism. The hospital is also struggling with an acute platelet shortage that is required to treat patients.
"Platelet shortage is bound to happen. Patient burden has suddenly increased, we can't store platelets for long. We had to create special wards for dengue and we've converted our lecture halls into Dengue wards," said the chairman of Kaislash hospital.
The prevailing climatic conditions in New Delhi are conducive to the breeding of mosquitoes and therefore as the mosquitoes multiply in numbers, so does the number of patients infected with Dengue.
One such patient is the son of a lady called Lata Sharma. Her son was rushed to Fortis with clear symptoms of Dengue but finding a bed wasn't easy, said the anxious maother.
"We had to wait two hours before a bed could be procured for my son," said Lata Sharma.
Critical Care Fortis doctor Hemant Tewari said, "The number of patients is high. There has been a major load in the last three to four weeks to such an extent that we don't find beds. Our capacity is of 110 beds, we've had to create extra beds. Till yesterday, we were running 124 beds."
CNN-IBN cross-checked the MCD's official figures with several leading hospitals.
A random survey of just 10 prominent hospitals in Delhi puts the total number of infected people at 1500, well above the MCD's claim.
While Apollo Hospital has reported 160 cases, 190 patients have been treated at Max Hospital.
Fortis Hospital has treated 155 Dengue cases and AIIMS has reported 75 cases so far.
The number could be even higher than 1500 as many may have not been detected or reported as yet. The worry in the minds of officials may well be about the Commonwealth Games that are to be held here in 2010, as the dates of the event overlap with the Dengue season.
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