Friday, August 26, 2016

NOIDA : Mystery fever stalks Sarfabad, villagers say 12 deaths in 2 weeks


NOIDA: Sarfabad village near Noida's Sector 73 is in the grip of a mystery fever that, residents say, has claimed 12 lives over the past fortnight. The district administration on Thursday ordered a probe to determine if there's an outbreak of a disease and whether it is the cause of all the deaths.



Sukhveer Pahalwan, a Sarfabad resident and social activist said more than 100 people were suffering from fever in the village. "There is panic among locals. The administration should quickly control the situation," he said. Residents allege poor sanitation in the village has led to the situation. Sector 73 and its nearby urbanscape have big housing societies.



The victims are in the age group of 21-72 years. Vipin Sharma, 22, a BA second-year student of Government PG College, Noida, complained of mild fever on August 15 and his family admitted him to hospital, where he was given medicines. Shri Chand Sharma, his grandfather, said the hospital did not admit him because, according to the hospital authorities, he hadn't shown serious symptoms other than fever.



"On August 16 morning, Vipin suddenly complained of severe chest pain. All family members were just planning to take him to a hospital when he collapsed on the bed and died," Shri Chand said. The sudden death did not give time to the family to rush him to hospital.

with thanks : TOI : LINK

DISCOM MOVES DERC AGAINST PENALTY ON POWER OUTAGES

NEW DELHI: Power distribution company, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited, has filed a detailed petition in the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC), highlighting practical and technical hurdles in implementing penalty on unscheduled outages.
A DERC notification in June stated that the discoms will have to compensate consumers for unscheduled power cuts, with penalties ranging from `25 to `100 per hour. Delhi LieutenantGovernor Najeeb Jung is yet to approve the notification.
The DERC had issued the order following directions from the Delhi government. The discom said the Delhi government’s orders are not binding on the power regulator.
The Delhi High Court had recently quashed the directions of the government where prior approval of the L-G was not taken before issuing them. However, a senior government official said the high court verdict will have no effect on the notification issued by the DERC, which the TPDDL has challenged.
“The high court cancelled only the directions issued by the government to the DERC under Section 108 of the Electricity Act. But the DERC on its own can issue notifications which it has and also placed it in the Assembly,” the official said.
Under the notification, the discoms – BSES Rajdhani, BSES Yamuna and Tata Power – have given a time frame within which a particular outage has to be fixed, failing which penalties will be imposed.
The default period shall be considered from the time the first someone registers a complaint till the supply is restored. In its petition, the TPDDL has said the proposals were not possible to adhere to.
The high court cancelled only the directions issued by the government to the DERC under Section 108 of the Electricity Act. But the DERC on its own can issue notifications which it has and also placed it in the Assembly.
A SENIOR OFFICIAL, Delhi government

With thanks : Hindustan Times

Dengue and Chikungunya: Symptoms and Dos and Don'ts : Times of India

NEW DELHI: Every monsoon, there is an increase in the number of people infected bydengue and chikungunya. Both are viral diseases transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. While a number of the symptomsassociated with the two diseases are similar, there exist some key differences.

Here are some key facts to keep in mind about the symptoms of dengue and chikungunya, and the preventive measures that can be taken to avoid infections.


DENGUE -SYMPTOMS



According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the primary symptom of dengue is high fever, which occurs with at least two of the following symptoms: severe headache, severe eye pain, joint, muscle or bone pain, rash, mild bleeding from the nose or the gums, small spots caused by bleeding into the skin, and low white cell count.

The CDC advises that medical help be sought immediately if one of the following warning signs manifest themselves as the fever declines 3 to 7 days after the first symptoms appear: severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, red spots or patches on the skin, nasal bleeding, bleeding from the gums, vomiting blood, black, tarry stool, drowsiness, irritability, breathing trouble or pale, cold or clammy skin.



Severe dengue can entail plasma leakage leading to shock, hemorrhage (internal bleeding), and organ impairment. At this stage, the disease is potentially fatal.


CHIKUNGNYA - SYMPTOMS


Chikunguniya symptoms include high fever, severe joint pain, joint swellings, muscle pain, head-aches and rashes. It is mostly non-fatal.


DOs


1) Get plenty of rest, and consume fluids to avoid dehydration if you have the disease.

2) Get tested immediately if any of the symptoms above manifest themselves. If you have a high-grade fever for more than twenty four hours, go see a doctor.

3) Use mosquito nets and wear long sleeves and pants to avoid being bitten.

4) Keep your surroundings clean, and dispose of waste regularly.


DON'Ts



1) Aedes mosquitoes - which transmit both dengue and chikungunya - breed in clean water. So don't leave water in containers, coolers, flower pots and other such recipients exposed to the air. Don't let water stagnate anywhere in or near your home.


2) If you are using mosquito repellents, don't use them on children below two months of age. For children older than two months, use insect repellents containing 10% DEET.


3) Don't apply mosquito repellent on your palms, or near your eyes or mouth. ALWAYS read instructions before using repellents, especially those pertaining to infants, pregnant women, and breast-feeding mothers.



4) Mosquitos are attracted to dark colours, so avoid wearing dark-coloured clothes.
5) Don't wear tight clothes, for mosquitoes find it easier to bite through tight-fitting garments.

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With thanks : Times of India