Ghaziabad: The Ministry of Health urged private hospital in Ghaziabad to postpone elective surgery in a week to meet the increasing demand for sleep by a surge in dengue and viral fever cases.
The move comes as two public hospitals in the city saw about 700-800 patients with fever in everyday care departments and their beds were almost fully occupied.
On Thursday, the district added 22 more cases of dengue which took the number of patients to 905 this season.
The first case of dengue fever were reported from the district on September 1 A total of 104 patients with dengue fever – 54 government and 50 other people in private – is under treatment at the hospital today, health officials said.
Chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Bhavtosh Shankhdhar, however, said the situation was under control.
“There is no shortage of places to sleep anywhere at the moment and positive rate slowly drops.
As a precaution, we have asked private hospitals to defer elective surgery in case they run out of bed, “said CMO.
Earlier, Dr Shankhdhar has requested a private hospital with a capacity of 100 beds to keep aside 20 beds for patients with fever and dengue fever.
Meanwhile, health officials say Muradanagar is the worst hit of dengue in the district and has reported nearly 250 cases.
This was followed by Vijay Nagar (136 cases), Harsaon (71) and Shastri Nagar (66).
Long queues, high occupancy bed MMG Hospital District and District Affiliated Hospital (DCH) has witnessed a long queue of patients with fever in OPDS.
At MMG, outside-patient department reported more than 500 patients daily fever.
Between September 15 and October 27, as many as 20 528 fever patients visit the hospital, among them 5938 children and 14 590 adults, according to official data.
During the corresponding period, 877 patients were hospitalized.
The situation is no different in DCH.
Dr.
Sanjay Teotia, chief medical superintendent of the hospital, told TOI, “Viral fever and dengue cases has gone up in the hospital in the last 10 days.
Approximately 200 patients with fever coming to OPDS everyday.
Of the 100 hospital beds, 75 are occupied by fever (47) and dengue (28) patients.
There were fifty-six patients, the platelets in the range of 15,000-20,000.
However, the good part is that no one is suffering from dengue shock syndrome.
” Dr Vinay Bhat, a consultant with the department of internal medicine in the Columbia Asia Hospital, said hospital occupancy rate of about 70% at present.
“Because of the rain extended, the number of dengue and viral fever cases has gone up.
Last year, there were almost no cases of this time of year.
One reason is Covid-19, because of which people maintain strict hygiene even in their homes.
” The hospital is seeing 15-20 dengue virus and patients every day, Dr.
Bhat said, adding that there are only three to four severe cases in the past one and a half months.
Dr Vandana Garg, a senior consultant at Max Hospital Vaishali, said the surge in cases linked to heavy rains in late September and intermittent showers throughout October.
“Most patients, however, do not need hospitalization.
It is necessary for patients who do not eat well and have developed complications such as vomiting, bleeding from the nose and gums, and the platelet count had dropped dramatically.
Patients with comorbidities also required hospitalization.
Being a tertiary care hospital, we have recognized approximately thirty-four serious patients in the ICU every week for the past two weeks, “he added.
Private lab test also seen a surge of dengue.
A lab with a branch incharge Raj Nagar Extension diagnostic private company said, “We ourselves saw at least 30 patients with fever every day who have been advised to undergo tests dengue.
Many of them turn out to be positive, but the majority of cases of viral fever.
“