New Delhi, India, is now facing the worst Dengue Outbreak it had in five years. There is a total number of 1800 cases and the death toll is still rising. Hospitals have been scramming and overflowing with patients that even some of them are already refusing to admit more, thereby causing deaths among patients as no immediate medical attention is sought.
One disheartening scenario is when parents of one of those who was refused by five hospitals committed suicide by jumping to their death from a four-story building after their son died. Because of this incident, the government of New Delhi has ordered 1000 extra hospital beds to accommodate incoming patients and established fever clinics to lessen the rush that hospitals are currently experiencing.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Health Minister Satyendra Jain conducted a surprise inspection and will penalize those hospitals under the law that would turn away or deny medical attention to suffering patients and also practitioners might face suspension of licenses.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the Dengue Virus. It thrives especially in the rainy season, which usually lasts from June to September. It could cause high fever and severe headaches, skin rashes, joint and muscle pain, nausea and vomiting pain behind the eyes and even bleeding from the nose, gums and bruising. Some symptoms would not appear onset and would just manifest as the disease progresses and could cause death, which we call Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS). The diagnosis can be confirmed with blood tests. There is no specific cure to dengue so the aim is to treat the symptoms; thus, it is important for the patient to be given thorough medical attention immediately.
"The worst outbreak in the last five years and it is going to further increase as the weather remains humid," Municipal Corporation of Delhi said. In the year 2010's total cases would amount to as much as 6000 people affected. However, this outbreak with already 1800 cases and counting and the death toll to 11 is the worst case to happen with such number in a short period of time.
