Centre sends teams to UP's Firozabad as death toll from dengue crosses 50; 3 doctors suspended

An outbreak of dengue-like fever in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad district has claimed over 50 lives as of Friday with officials saying that there is no drop in the inflow of patients to the hospitals.

Chief Medical Officer Dinesh Kumar Premi, in a statement, said “so far, 50 people have died due to dengue and viral fever. Ten areas -- nine blocks and a Nagar Nigam area -- in the district are affected”.

There are 36 active camps in the district and 3,719 people, including those who have a fever, are undergoing treatment there, he said.

At least 40 children have died so far in Firozabad since the outbreak of the “viral fever” two weeks ago.

In order to control the dengue outbreak and look into the aspects of the disease, the Central government sent a six-member team of experts of the Union health ministry to Firozabad.

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Amid the rising death toll, District Magistrate Chandra Vijay Singh suspended three doctors on charges of negligence and also warned government doctors of strict action for any negligence in the treatment of the patients.

Cases similar to those found in Firozabad have also been reported from Mathura, Etah, Mainpuri and Agra, officials said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, meanwhile, directed the principal secretary (medical education), Alok Kumar, to camp in Agra and Firozabad districts to take stock of the situation, a government spokesperson said.