29 new dengue cases take Delhi's total to 527 (Lead)

At least 29 fresh cases of dengue were reported here Saturday, taking the total number of people affected by the vector-borne disease in the capital to 527, said health officials, adding that over 200 people were fined in the last one week for allowing stagnant water to accumulate in their homes.

"There were 29 fresh cases of dengue confirmed today (Saturday). This takes the total number of cases to 527," Chief Medical Officer, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, N.K. Yadav told IANS.

“About 203 challans were issued in last one week. At least 5,166 challans have been issued since January where breeding of mosquito (in stagnant water) responsible for spread of the disease was found."

He added that 1,354 legal notices have been issued in past week where conditions suitable for breeding of mosquito were found.

With media reports alleging that the total number of dengue cases is higher than the figures provided by the civic agency, the Delhi government had Friday announced the appointment of Charan Singh as the state's nodal officer for assessing the correct number of cases.

However, as Singh gave wrong figure of dengue cases to the media, the government replaced him late Friday itself.

Delhi Health's Minister Kiran Walia Saturday handed charge to Debashish Bhattacharya.

"The information about the dengue patients will be provided to the nodal officer with immediate effect every day by noon," Walia had said.

“Bhattacharya will monitor and check the spread of dengue fever in Delhi by making special arrangements to curb the menace,” said an official statement here.

Meanwhile, Walia Saturday also convened a high-level meeting of big government hospitals like Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP), Govind Ballabh Pant hospital, Guru Teg Bahadur hospital, Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital and private hospitals like Apollo Hospital, Max Devki Devi Hospital, Fortis Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and Mool Chand Hospital to review the measures taken to control dengue.

Officials of health departments of Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Government also attended the meeting.

“It has been made mandatory for all the public and private hospitals to inform details of the cases of dengue to Debashish Bhattacharya. He, as the state nodal officer, will collect and cross check the figures of dengue cases from the hospitals,” Walia informed.

Meanwhile the civic agency has laid out an action plan to take strict action to check breeding of mosquitoes that transmit the disease.

Until now, the disease has claimed the lives of a 15-year-old boy and a nine-year-old boy this year.

Last updated on Nov 7^th, 2009 at 20:48 pm IST--IANS