MCDs yet to catch up with dengue stats

The fresh dengue data released by the municipal corporations of Delhi on Monday did not reflect any deaths reported from hospitals throughout the last week.

The civic bodies have recorded 17 deaths till September 26. The figures were the same in the weekly report released by the municipal corporations till September 19.

Last week, Deccan Herald had reported the death toll has climbed to at least 63 with data collected from across hospitals. The death toll has now gone up to at least 69 with two fresh deaths reported from Centre-run Safdarjung Hospital, one from AIIMS and three from state-run Lok Nayak Hospital. There were two suspected dengue deaths from Swami Dayanand Hospital and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, confirmed the hospitals.

Hospitals like Safdarjung Hospital, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Lok Nayak Hospital which have seen 10, three and 11 deaths so far do not feature in the list of MCD which has compiled data from across hospitals.

There is no mention of Jaipur Golden Hospital in the list either which has seen at least 12 dengue deaths this season, as confirmed by the hospital administration.

While Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital has seen eight deaths this season, the corporations’ “confirmed dengue list” records one. Moolchand Hospital, Fortis Vasant Kunj which have seen dengue deaths are missing from the list as well. Though the All India Institute of Medical Sciences has seen at least eight deaths, the corporations mention two on the records. 

The SDMC – the nodal agency for reporting death figures – stood by the latest figures released. “There is no delay at the civic agency’s end in compiling the data on dengue deaths. So far the reported dengue death figures stand at 17,” said an official with South Delhi Municipal Corporation.

A source at the SDMC said there is delay from the hospitals’ end at times. “Sometimes hospitals take time to establish the cause of death. This may prolong the procedure in recording deaths,” source said.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation’s House meeting saw uproar from the Opposition over the dengue death figures reported by the municipal corporations so far on Monday.

“I wrote to North Delhi Mayor Ravinder Gupta two days ago seeking a special meeting to discuss the ongoing dengue menace in the city. But the BJP councillors didn’t bother to hold a meeting to check the spread of the deadly disease,” Leader of Opposition Mukesh Goel said. Over 2,100 dengue cases were reported last week taking the official dengue figures to 5,151 this season. This has crossed the September 2010’s figures of 2,360 recorded in the entire month.