The Hindu : New Delhi News : More meningitis deaths, 18 new cases reported

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 13, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

More meningitis deaths, 18 new cases reported

Staff Reporter

Deadly disease shows no sign of decreasing

NEW DELHI: The deadly meningitis showed no signs of tapering off in the Capital with two more deaths and 18 new suspected cases being reported from various hospitals. According to State Health Department authorities, the two deaths reported were at LNJP and Lady Hardinge hospitals.

Four new patients were admitted to Hindu Rao and Safdurjung each, two each to AIIMS, Deen Dayal Upadhaya and Lohia hospitals, while LNJP, Kasturba, St Stephen's and Apollo hospitals all admitted one patient each. Ninety-one patients have been discharged after treatment so far.

The State Principal Secretary, Health, S.P. Aggarwal said: "The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) has received 118 Cerebro Spinal Fluid (CSF) samples, of which nine have tested positive for the sero group A."

"I want to point out that of these nine, three samples were of people who came to the Capital for treatment. Even if you see the total number of suspected cases till yesterday which was 250 -- 18 were outsiders. All their CSF test results have not come in as yet, though," he added.

The State Health Minister, Yoganand Shastri, also visited the Capital's Hindu Rao hospital, which has the largest number of admitted patients including five women and seven children.

Speaking at the press briefing, MCD Hospital Administration, Director J.N. Banvaliker, said: "The number of patients currently admitted in the Capital with suspected infection are 152 and we want to convey the message that the disease does figure each year, but only this year the numbers have been a shade higher which has been a cause of concern."

Speaking about the need for wide-spread dissemination of information about the precaution to be taken and why the strong network of residents welfare associations were not being involved for the same, he said: "We are working with Councillors who are aware of the grassroots problems and are well versed with the residents. They are given posters and other material using which they can spread awareness among the people."

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