Season’s first diphtheria death in Delhi, doctors sound alert

Deaths because of the disease had made headlines last year, when 11 children died between September 6 and 19, with parents attributing the deaths to a non-availability of the anti-diphtheria serum. A total of 25 children died that month. October and November saw 22 and 12 deaths. Of the 766 patients admitted to MVID hospital last year, 100 had died, most of them children.

This latest death has prompted doctors to sound an alert, saying that the hospital should be prepared as the numbers could rise from here. “The numbers could spike because this disease remains contained in extreme weather, but as the season starts getting moist, the numbers rise,” said a doctor at a North MCD hospital.

He said the North MCD has ordered 6,000 vials of the serum from the Central Research Institute (CRI) in Kasauli, but has received only 2,000 so far. “We are expecting the demand to be met soon, as once the outbreak happens, existing vials will be exhausted in a month,” he said.

Director of CRI Ajay Kumar Tahlan said their annual production is 6,000 vials, and they have to provide the serum to hospitals across India. “We have sent 2,000, and more will be sent in the coming months as per demand. If they need more, there are two-three private companies that can be contacted,” he said.

North Corporation commissioner Varsha Joshi, however, said, “The hospital will get 1,000 vials every month from July onwards, which is as per our requirement.”

She said this is from their regular supplier (CRI) and there is no need for fresh arrangements. MVID is the only hospital in Delhi that deals with the disease.