May Yash Chopra’s Soul Rest In Peace

Legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra’s death due to dengue has left many Delhiites panicky. Doctors say they are getting constant calls from patients suffering from suspected or confirmed dengue infection, seeking medical advice or admission to the hospital.

The initial reaction of the civic body bordered on denial. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is yet to accept that Chopra died of dengue, and according to one newspaper report it is investigating if Chopra was infected outside the city, as if that can absolve the authorities of their failure to curb the dengue menace. Between 2008 and 2012, reported cases of dengue in municipal and state hospitals have nearly trebled in Mumbai, according to a recent report by the not-for-profit Praja Foundation. Malarial cases rose 71% over the same period.

“Many patients with near-normal platelet count have insisted on getting admitted. They do not want to take a chance,” said Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant, internal medicine department at Apollo Hospitals. He said that the renowned filmmaker’s death due to dengue was surprising for him too. “There must be some other co-morbid condition, which led to multi-organ failure and death,” Chatterjee added.

He said that one needs to get admitted if there is recurrent vomiting and the patient is not able to take fluid or the fever is not going down despite medications. “If there is a rapid fall in platelet count or the patient has internal bleeding, he or she has to be admitted for constant monitoring of the vital parameters. Also, elderly people, children and those suffering from additional health problems like diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure or cancer have to be admitted,” Budhiraja added.