Spreading its grip fast in Kolkata, dengue claimed three more lives, all children, as the death toll touched 11 till Sunday. The latest victims are Anushree Samaddar, 11, John Daniel Gomes, 9 and Rupa Das, 14.
A resident of Tollygunge, Anushree died at a private nursing home in south Kolkata in the morning. John, a resident of Ekbalpore, died on Saturday evening at Chittaranjan Sishu Sadan in Hazra following his admission there on August 27. Rupa of Phoolbagan was taken to the Infectious Diseases (ID) Hospital in Beliaghata with dengue symptoms on August 28. She was allegedly let go following a check-up by the doctors as beds were unavailable. On Saturday, Rupa, in a critical condition, was rushed to the ID Hospital which referred her to a private nursing home where she died of dengue at night.
Member mayor-in-council (health) Atin Ghosh of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation said, “The experts say that the mosquitoes which carry dengue virus have changed their breeding spots.”
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Allies in war of words over dengue cases
AGE CORRESPONDENT
Kolkata, Aug. 2
As dengue rules the state and its capital freely, the two allies — Trinamul Congress and Congress — in the state government engaged in a blame game and traded charges with each other.
On Sunday, minister of state for health Chandrima Bhatt-acharya lashed out at state Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya following his complaint to governor M.K. Narayanan against the Mamata Banerjee government for its alleged failure to tackle dengue.
After meeting Mr Narayanan on Saturday evening at Raj Bhavan, Mr Bhattacharya had accused the state government of hushing up the number of dengue cases. “The government is trying to suppress the actual figure of dengue cases. If any patient goes to the hospital with dengue, he or she is not registered,” he had said.