Dengue toll reaches 23 in Delhi

New Delhi: The death toll due to dengue reached 23 on Saturday, with a 38-year-old man dying at Batra Hospital.

Harish was admitted on September 12. "The Anti Dengue Antibodies test was positive, meaning the patient was exposed to dengue before and his body already developed antibodies against dengue virus," said Rakesh Kumar Chaturvedi, MD of BHMRC.

"He was discharged from Safdarjung Hospital against medical advice. The patient was brought to us in a very critical condition," Chaturvedi said.

To tackle dengue cases, the Delhi government on Saturday announced opening of fever/dengue clinics from Monday. Delhi Police also organised a blood donation camp on Saturday.

PIL filed Congress leader Ajay Maken on Saturday filed a PIL in the Delhi High Court, accusing the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and MCD of not acting vigilantly and responsibly to control dengue, a mosquito-borne tropical disease.

The PIL said that the Delhi government had allocated approximately Rs 81 crores towards Malaria and Dengue Control Programmes. However, it has not bothered to release the funds to the MCD and ,citing lack of funds as an ‘alibi' for their gross failure in controlling dengue outbreak, the agencies have rendered the general public completely helpless.

Meanwhile, Delhi Women and Child Welfare Minister Sandeep Kumar hit out at the city's BJP MPs and doctors in wake of the rising cases of dengue.