NO MYSTERIOUS FEVER IN DELHI –
SUSHMA DISPELS RUMOURS
The Union Health
Minister, Smt. Sushma Swaraj invited the Chief Minister of Delhi,
Smt. Sheila Dikshit for a meeting to review the Dengue situation
in Delhi today at 1 P.M. at Nirman Bhavan. The steps taken by
Delhi Government for dealing with the dengue situation and the
assistance provided by the Central Government were discussed.
Concern was expressed at the incorrect reporting in certain sections
of the Press regarding the outbreak of a "mysterious fever"
in Delhi. Addressing members of the media, after the meeting,
both Smt. Sushma Swaraj and Smt. Sheila Dikshit confirmed that
there was no mysterious fever in Delhi and the patients who were
having symptoms of dengue were in fact suffering from dengue only.
This aspect had been already clarified by the Health Ministry
yesterday when Secretary (Health) had met the press. To recapitulate,
the antibodies for dengue fever appeared in the person only after
5 to 7 days of the person having symptoms of dengue. Accordingly,
dengue test done within 5 to 7 days of a person getting symptoms
of dengue would be negative as the test was based on antibodies.
Both the Chief
Minister and the Health Minister confirmed that the Central Government
and the State Government were working in close coordination and
that there was no dearth of blood and plasma or availability of
other infrastructure in the hospitals. They also appealed to the
Private Hospitals that patients of dengue should not be asked
to arrange for plasma on a routine basis. Only if the platelet
counts falls to 50,000 or below and the person is bleeding, platelets
may be required. It was also informed that Chief Secretary of
the Delhi Government had in a meeting with private Hospitals yesterday,
warned them not to create an unnecessary demand for plasma and
to also not over charge for the blood plasma.
Smt. Dikshit
and Smt. Swaraj also appealed to the general public to ensure
that sanitation is improved and collections of water whether in
coolers, flower vases, puddles etc. are not permitted as the dengue
mosquitoes breed in such clear water collections.
The Health Minister
and Chief Secretary of the Delhi Government and Secretary (Health),
Director General Health Services, Director, NICD, Director, National
Malaria Control programme and Director-General, ICMR from the
Central Government also attended the meeting.
