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963 dengue cases in Delhi

October 16, 2003 01:42 IST
Last Updated: October 16, 2003 03:24 IST


The number of confirmed dengue cases in Delhi on Wednesday rose to 963 while three persons succumbed to the disease, one of them a doctor at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Out of 963 cases, 722 patients belonged to Delhi while the remaining patients are from neighbouring states, a Municipal Corporation of Delhi release said.

The state government has directed the Horticulture Department of the MCD to dry all fountains and waterfalls to prevent mosquitoes from breeding, it added.

Delhi Mayor Ashok Kumar Jain, who visited two MCD-run hospitals on Wednesday, said the situation was well under control and there was no need to panic. He asked the people to initiate steps to prevent breeding of mosquitoes and spray insecticides in water collecting in and around their houses.

On Wednesday night, the central government decided to launch a comprehensive Rs 1,370 crore programme to combat mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and Japanese encephalitis on a war footing across the country and make India free of filaria within five years.

The disease has claimed nine lives in Maharashtra in the last one month, official sources said in Pune.

R Gadia, consultant physician and chief investigator at the Dengue Research Project at the KEM hospital in Pune told PTI that of the 150 people who have tested positive for dengue, 120 are from Pune. In KEM alone, three deaths due to dengue have been reported in the last few days, he added.

Unless concerted steps are taken, Gadia said, it may become an epidemic by May or June next year.

Stating that the number of dengue cases was much higher this year, he said patients were coming in from Baramati, Junnar, Ahmednagar, Shrigonda and Daund regions.

Nagkumar R Kunachi, Health Officer Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, while confirming three deaths in the area, said a total of 130 people have been affected. The corporation was undertaking fumigation and other necessary measures.


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