UP: 40 children among 50 dead due to Dengue, mystery viral fever in Firozabad

As many as 50 people have died in the last ten days in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad district due to dengue and the mystery viral fever. According to the media reports,with three fresh fatalities, the death toll due to dengue and viral fever has climbed to 50 in the district on September 3. The reports also claimed that the number of deceased includes 40 children.

"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," Chief Medical Officer Dinesh Kumar Premi said in a statement.

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

Meanwhile, BJP MLA Manish Asija claimed that on the basis of information available with him, the death toll has climbed to 61. Asija said he is constantly moving about in the area to meet the victims'' families and collecting information about the deaths.

Earlier, the district magistrate (DM) suspended three doctors, Dr Girish Srivastava of the Primary Health Centre at Salai, Dr Ruchi Srivastava, a public health expert, and Dr Saurav with immediate effect on Thursday on charges of negligence and warned government doctors of strict action for any negligence in the treatment of the patients.

Ahead of this, Firozabad's Chief Medical Officer Neeta Kulshresth was also removed on Wednesday following the spate of deaths, mostly of children, since August 18 due to suspected cases of dengue.