M A I N   N E W S

PM visits dengue patients at AIIMS
61 fresh cases reported
Tripti Nath
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 8
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh chose Sunday, the date of the discharge of his 11-year-old- grandson, to visit the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here. His grandson was also suffering from dengue. He had a word of praise for doctors treating dengue patients.

At present, 151 dengue patients are being treated at AIIMS, a major referral centre of north India. The Prime Minister’s son-in-law and other grandson continue to be in AIIMS with dengue.

Sixtyone more cases of dengue have been reported from various parts of the country in the last 24 hours, according to the control room of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme.

The total number of dengue cases reported till 10 am today across the country are 3407. These include 10 Armymen and their family members being treated for dengue in Base Hospital and R & R Hospital in Delhi cantonment.

Another dengue case in the Army has been reported from Agra.

According to the AIIMS Medical Superintendent, Dr D.K. Sharma, 28 fresh cases of dengue have been reported in the institute in the last 24 hours. Of these, three are from the institute campus. He said no dengue deaths had been reported during the past 24 hours.

Dr Sharma, who along with the institute Director, Dr P.Venugopal and the Dean, Dr R.C. Deka, took the Prime Minister around the wards said: “Dr Manmohan Singh arrived at AIIMS at about 10.10 am. and spent nearly an hour in the institute. He went around the D II ward and the AB II ward in the main hospital to enquire about the well-being of 30 to 40 dengue patients.

Sources in AIIMS said the Prime Minister also visited Rajiv Ranjan, Lok Sabha MP of the Janata Dal (United), who was being treated for dengue in a private ward.

Former JD(U) President George Fernandes also visited Rajiv Ranjan.

Dr P.L. Joshi, Director, National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), told TNS that a total of 3407 dengue cases had been reported from various parts of the country between January 1 to October 8, 2006.

In the last 24 hours, 61 more cases of dengue had been reported across the country. He said the nationwide dengue toll stood at 46. He said the total number of dengue cases reported in Delhi and adjoining states between January 1, 2006, and October 8, 2006, are 886.

While 538 dengue cases have been reported from Delhi alone, 348 case have been reported from the National Capital Region and other neighbouring states. This figure includes 88 dengue cases from Haryana, 181 from Uttar Pradesh, 12 from Rajasthan and 59 from other states.

Dr Joshi said chikungunya, another viral fever caused by the aedes egypti mosquito, had come back after 32 years. Seven cases of chikungunya had been reported from Delhi and the National Capital Region in the last two months.

“Most of the chikungunya cases were reported between 1963 to 1965 and were confined to southern states as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Kolkata and Maharashtra. It has remerged after several years.

He said in 1970, Yawat in Maharashtra also reported chikungunya. This virus cause long lasting immunity.