New Delhi: The death toll due to dengue in the Delhi rose to nine on Monday night after a 43-year-old man succumbed to the disease at the Lal Bahadur Shastri hospital.
"He was brought to the hospital in a critical condition. He had internal bleeding and his platelets count were less than 20,000. He was immediately shifted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Our doctors made efforts to resuscitate the patient but he passed away on September 12 morning. He had private report of dengue positive," a senior doctor said.
More than 1,800 cases of dengue have been reported in Delhi till September 12 even as the government attempts to contain the deadliest outbreak.
Official data showed that more than 600 cases were reported in the last week alone.
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With 776 cases, North Municipal Corporation reported the highest number cases in the capital, followed by the South corporation with 499 cases. Over 150 cases have been reported in areas under the East corporation.
On Monday, the Delhi government cancelled the leaves of doctors and paramedical staff at all its hospitals.
"The government issued a circular today (Monday) that the leaves of all the staff including doctors and paramedics of all Delhi government hospitals will stand cancelled till the dengue season is over," Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said.
Jain said the health department received requests from many hospitals for the need of extra doctors and paramedical staff to tackle dengue patients.
"In view of the necessity of doctors at the hospitals, we issued the circular regarding cancellation of leaves till the end of the dengue season," Jain said.
The city government has also launched a 24-hour helpline for dengue, following a surge in the number of cases of the viral disease.
"The helpline 011-23307145 will function round the clock to provide all relevant information about dengue and its treatment," a city government official said.
