Delhi govt caps chikungunya test cost

They said the young student was already diagnosed with dengue before getting admitted to the hospital. “All the central government hospital are fully equipped to deal with the situation”. “We are keeping a close watch in terms of availability of kits, training of staff, bed strength”, he added.

The Delhi government on Tuesday fixed a ceiling of Rs 600 as cost for chikungunya serology test at all private hospitals and laboratories.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said, “We have 10,000 beds and the number of fever clinics has been increased from 55 past year to 355”.

He said it is the municipal corporations’ job to carry out cleaning and fogging.

Officials said that in last week, 412 new cases of chikungunya were reported, taking the total number of chikungunya cases this year to 432. People should not fear. With most of the private and government hospitals running full in Delhi and Gurugram experts have advised to not to panic and take preventive measures as and when required.

This year, dengue cases have been reported rather early.

“Only in severe cases should they go for hospitalization”.

There are almost 432 official cases of chikungunya, along with roughly 400 cases of dengue, in the national capital.

According to sources in the hospitals, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) alone recorded 391 cases till August 20, followed by Safdarjung Hospital (246), Apollo Hospital (almost 350), Lok Nayak Hospital (23), Hindu Rao Hospital (28), Kasturba Hospital (11) and the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital (GTBH) has registered three confirmed cases.

The disease usually peaks around the month of October, and doctors are expecting more cases in the next couple of months.

In order to prevent chikungunya from spreading, one must not allow water stagnation, protect oneself from mosquito bites, keep the surroundings clean, dispose off unnecessary items such as old tyres, old utensils, etc., also use mosquito repellents or mosquito net, and keep their bodies well covered, say officials.

In 2006, over 13 lakh suspected chikungunya fever cases were reported across the country, according to National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP).

From mohalla clinics to private hospitals, many adults and children have been flocking to these with complaints of high fever, joint pain and rashes, as the city continued to grapple with the twin menace of chikungunya and dengue.