Dengue surge: 1,200 total cases, 430 in first week of this month

Considering the sharp rise in cases, Central government hospitals in the capital too are opening dedicated dengue wards apart from Delhi government hospitals. On Monday, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital medical superintendent Dr A K Gadpayle confirmed that the hospital would be starting a 35-bed dengue ward.

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Last week, microbiologists at AIIMS — who conducted the first tests on dominant serotypes of the virus this year — confirmed dengue type IV and type II as the two dominant types this year. While type IV has never been seen in significant numbers in the capital, type II has been in circulation since 2013.

Both are associated with haemorrhagic fever and shock, and considered the stronger out of the four prevalent serotypes of the virus. Two deaths from the virus have been confirmed so far.

With over 500 cases, the North Municipal Corporation has reported the majority of the cases. Around 350 patients have tested positive in areas under the East Municipal Corporation, while the South Municipal corporation has recorded 114 cases.

According to municipal authorities, 104 patients who were treated for dengue in Delhi hospitals could not be traced to the addresses they had given. Usually, after a patient tests positive, municipal authorities visit the area to carry out anti-mosquito activities in order to control the spread of the virus.

Nearly 100 patients from neighbouring states were treated for dengue in Delhi hospitals. Doctors had first said the virus was relatively mild this year, with patients recovering faster and showing symptoms like any other virus.