3 die ‘of dengue’, 294 positive in Rohtak

Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, November 21

Dengue and other types of viral fevers continue to hit residents, with a number of patients thronging the local PGIMS as well as government and private hospitals in the district. Ansh, a 14-year-old boy of Sector-1 here, who had tested positive for dengue, died at a Delhi hospital. A 22-year-old girl of Kalanaur area in the district and a nine-year-old boy of Kamla Colony in the town have also reportedly died of dengue.

Ansh’s father Vipin Malhotra and mother Sanchita said they took their son to a local physician, where he tested positive for dengue. He was then taken to a private hospital in Rohtak and then to another hospital in Delhi, but he could not be saved.

Rohtak Civil Surgeon Dr Anil Birla said the medical documents furnished by the parents of the Kalanaur girl and the nine-year-old boy had no record of their having tested positive for dengue. He said he would get the case of Ansh examined.

The Civil Surgeon said 294 patients had tested positive for dengue in the district so far, adding that anti-larval and fogging activities were being conducted to check the spread of disease.

A special ward has been set up for the patients of dengue and other viral fevers at the local PGIMS. However, the ward has become overcrowded, due to which many patients prefer to visit private hospitals and nursing homes.

Taking advantage of the situation, some private medical practitioners are fleecing the patients in the name of diagnostic tests and treatment. The Civil Surgeon said the rate of the dengue test has been fixed at Rs 600 and no clinic/hospital could charge more than that.