India - Bangalore : Dengue cases are filling up ICUs

India's collapsing health system, politicians are busy fighting something else instead of fighting diseases that's killing it's people. A report from Bangalore Mirror, excerpt but please read the whole article to get a clearer picture :

" Private hospitals are reporting unusually high levels of occupancy in ICUs. Pray that Health Minister B Sriramulu and officials are paying attention. While Health Minister B Sriramulu is busy helping the Reddy brothers fight allegations of illegal mining in Bellary, dengue seems to be spreading in Bangalore.

Hospitals are reporting unusually high occupancy levels in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) with dengue patients taking up a significant number of beds. At least one private hospital had to turn away patients who were referred to the ICU because all the beds were occupied.Dr Naresh Shetty, medical director of M S Ramaiah hospital on New B E L Road, said, “We have 45 beds in the ICU. All are occupied.

Of these, half the patients are cases of viral fever with low platelet count. We are forced to turn patients away.”Doctors say viral fever with low platelet count is a sign of dengue.Dr Preethi Adoni, medical officer at Mallya Hospital on Vittal Mallya Road, said, “We have 14 beds in the ICU. Only two beds are vacant. Seven are dengue cases. Such a high occupancy level in the ICU is unusual. Even outside the ICU, we have quite a number of dengue patients.”