Hospitals see over 550 burn cases

 Two people died of injuries while bursting crackers while hospitals remained busy handling burn cases on Diwali day.

The two victims include a six-year old boy and 23-year-old man, said police.

Lala, 6, was bursting crackers outside his house in Northwest Delhi's Bhalsawa Dairy area when he put bomb inside a glass bottle. Police said the glass shards pierced Lala's abdomen. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to injuries on Thursday afternoon, said police.

In another case, Ravi Kant in North West Delhi also put a bomb inside a glass bottle. The glass pieces penetrated his thighs and face. Kant died of excessive bleeding from his injuries at a hospital on Thursday morning.

Major government hospitals reported over 550 burn cases on Diwali day. At least 50 per cent of the patients suffering burn injuries were children, said doctors. Most patients suffered hand and face injuries, said doctors. Hospitals continued to receive burn cases till Thursday evening.

The majority of cases were reported from the Safdarjung Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay and Lok Nayak Hospital which were designated to handle burn cases.

While Safdarjung Hospital saw over 200 patients till Thursday, seven patients were admitted due to burn injuries on Wednesday. In these cases, the patients had suffered between 15- 30 per cent burns. Last year, Safdarjung Hospital had reported 225 cases on Diwali day.

“The hospital has attended to over 200 patients till Thursday afternoon.

“A consolidated figure of total burn cases will be available only by Friday. Patients suffered burns from firecrackers and diyas,” said Dr K Agrawal, head of the department, burns plastic and maxillofacial surgery, Safdarjung Hospital. Around 50 per cent of the patients were children.
At RML Hospital, the burns department saw 85 cases till Thursday morning.

The majority of the patients were children and young adults, said Dr V K Tewari, head of the department, Burns and Plastic Surgery, RML. Four patients were admitted at the hospital who suffered around 30 per cent burns.

“In a case in which the burn percentage is beyond 10 per cent, the patient is considered to be critical. The patients are currently under observation. The majority of the patients were given first-aid and discharged,” said Dr Tewari.

LNJP reported around 50 patients who were treated for burn injuries. The number of burn cases at LNJP Hospital on Diwali day has been the same over the past few years.

Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital saw around 160 cases. “This includes burn cases and minor injuries,” said Dr Savita Babbar, medical superintendent, DDU Hospital.

GTB Hospital saw 150 cases in which most patients suffered hand and face injuries, said a senior doctor of the Burns Department. The burn injury cases are likely to go up till Friday, said doctors.