Dengue death toll rises to five,two officials suspended

Sharma,however,clarified that these suspected deaths have not been included in the official dengue toll yet.

Till Monday 1,355 cases with two confirmed and three suspected dengue deaths have been reported in the city.

Conflicting reports emerged of a much higher number of suspected dengue deaths,though the municipal health officials did not confirm these figures. PTI quoted North corporation mayor saying 11 deaths from suspected dengue had been reported.

“We received reports of 11 more deaths from the Shahbad Daulatpur area in the Rohini Zone today. We have already suspended the Deputy Health Officer and Malaria Inspector of the Rohini Zone with immediate effect,and also issued stern warning to the MHO,” North corporation Mayor Azad Singh told PTI.

This came in the backdrop of Health Minister Dr A K Walia,cracking the whip on the three municipal corporations for their “complete failure” to control the spread of dengue. Dr Walia wrote to the city’s three mayors on Tuesday,citing several lapses including the spurt in dengue cases.

Dr Walia said the zonal health officers have failed to properly supervise field operations.

“The Domestic Breeding Checkers (DBCs) are not working for more than 2-3 hours. Their attitude towards checking of domestic breeding is very casual. Neither do the malaria inspectors exercise effective supervision over their working nor do the health officers monitor the work of DBCs and malaria inspectors. This has led to inefficiency and inept handing of the situation,particularly mosquito-genic conditions,” Dr Walia noted.

North corporation Commissioner Praveen Kumar Gupta also “cancelled the leaves of medical and paramedical staff of all the polyclinics falling under North corporation’s jurisdiction”,NDMC public relations officer Yogendra Singh Mann said.

South corporation has also intensified its fumigation drive and decided to cancel holidays of DBCs.