12 swine flu deaths in city this year: Delhi government

Swine flu has claimed 12 lives, including eight of Delhi residents, in the national capital this year, Health Minister Satyendar Jain has said.

The official data provided by him, however, contradicts the count of fatalities reported from various hospitals in the city.

"A total of 2,818 cases of swine flu have been reported here till October 12, out of which 620 were traced to residents of other states. Out of 12 deaths recorded in the city, eight were residents of Delhi and rest belonged to other states," he told reporters.

According to data provided recently by four Centre-run hospitals, the H1N1 virus had claimed 47 lives, including 22 from Delhi this year till late August.

At least 680 fresh cases of dengue have been reported in the city in the first week of October, taking the number of people affected by the vector-borne disease this season to 4,545, according to the latest report by civic authorities.

Of the total 4,545 dengue cases, 2,152 were residents of Delhi, while the rest were from other states. Of the 2,152 Delhi cases, 345 were reported this month, the report said.

According to the Delhi government as well, the total number of dengue cases are the same, which also includes one death.

As many as 638 cases of chikungunya have been reported as well till October 7, the report by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) which tabulates data for the entire city, said.

"From Delhi, 368 cases of chikungunya have been reported while 270 of them have been traced to residents of other states who had come to Delhi," Jain said.

All the three municipal corporations in the city have stepped up awareness drives, distributing pamphlets and plying vehicles with loudspeakers announcing dos and don'ts for prevention.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the city has banned over-the-counter sale of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Aspirin and Brufen as their use may "pose a threat" to dengue and chikungunya patients.

At least 21 deaths due to dengue were reported last year from various city hospitals, including nine at AIIMS, though the official figure of the civic bodies stood at 10.

Seventeen deaths, suspected to be due to malaria, were also reported by civic bodies last year.

At least 15 fatalities were reported last year from various city hospitals due to complications triggered by chikungunya, though civic authorities kept the death tally at zero.

One of the worst outbreaks of chikungunya was in 2016 when 12,221 were reported till 24 December, 2016. Of these, 9,749 were confirmed.

-PTI