Suspected dengue death in Mohali

Tribune News Service

Mohali, September 13

The town today witnessed its first suspected dengue death at Max Hospital in Phase VI here. Fiftyfour-year-old Sham Lal, a resident of Phase V, died after his platelet count came down to 10,000 this afternoon. The Mohali Civil Surgeon, Dr Ranjit Guru, said apparently it was a dengue death but it would be confirmed only after the report of the test was received.

Mohali district has already witnessed two suspected dengue deaths, one of which was confirmed. 

“It (Sham Lal’s) seemed to be a suspected dengue death as his platelet count was very low when he was admitted to the private hospital yesterday. He had been suffering from fever with dengue symptoms for the past three days. Today, his blood pressure dipped and he apparently died of dengue shock. We are waiting for his test reports,” said the Civil Surgeon, adding that it would take one to two days for the reports to come.

Sham Lal was working as an Assistant Engineer in the Power Department and was posted at Dhakoli.

According to his kin, he had been suffering from fever for the past three days and was under treatment.

“His condition worsened last evening and his platelet count was around 15,000 when he was shifted to the Emergency ward of the private hospital. The count fell further to 10,000 today,” said sources.

According to an official statement released by the hospital: “Patient Sham Lal was brought to Max Super Specialty Hospital, Mohali, yesterday at 8 am with complaints of fever, headache, generalised weakness, nausea and vomiting. The patient was immediately attended to by emergency doctors. Upon examination, the patient was suspected to be suffering from the dengue shock syndrome. While the final report confirming dengue is awaited, a team of experts began a first-level treatment to stabilise the patient’s critical condition and avoid further delay. Today, the patient’s condition deteriorated further and he was immediately incubated for close monitoring. Despite the best-in-class treatment by experts, the patient suffered a cardiac arrest and was declared dead at 11.15 am today”.

270 confirmed dengue cases in Mohali

According to official figures, Mohali has 270 confirmed cases of dengue and the number is rising by the day.

Authorities yet to wake up from slumber

Though dengue has spread its tentacles in the area, the civic authorities are yet to wake up from slumber to take preventive measures. Regular fogging is missing in the area as the cash-rich Mohali Municipal Corporation has just one functional fogging machine to cater the entire area.

A senior MC official claimed that the MC would get two more machines. According to an official, there are two more machines, which are out of order.

Survey conducted

The Mohali Civil Surgeon, Dr Ranjit Guru, claimed that medical teams conducted a survey of nearby houses and the area following the report of a confirmed dengue case from there. “We found dengue larvae there and destroyed it. Besides, people were also apprised of preventive measures,” said Dr Guru.

Dengue mosquitoes

Dengue mosquitoes breed in clean water which gets accumulated in pots, coolers, water containers and pits. They mostly bite during sunlight.

Preventive measures

• Do not allow accumulation of water in your house in any utensil, cooler or pot for more than five days.
• Cover yourself completely to save from mosquito bite.
• Contact your doctor immediately if you get fever or other dengue symptoms.