The current outbreak of the dengue epidemic claimed its first victim in Gwalior on September 17, when an eight-year-old girl died while undergoing treatment for the disease at a private hospital in the city.

According to reports, an eight-year-old girl named Bhavesha from Vivek Vihar near the Chetakpuri area had been suffering from fever for the past 15 days and was treated by a private physician in the city. 

However, when her condition deteriorated, she was referred to a private hospital, where she tested positive for dengue. 

During the admission, she fainted. Subsequently, a CBC test revealed that her platelets were only 25 thousand. 

Following the report, on September 16, 2023, the doctors suggested taking her to Delhi for further treatment. She was transferred to Gangaram Hospital, where she passed away on September 17.

After receiving this tragic news, Gwalior’s District Malaria Officer, Dr.Vinod Doneria, along with his team, went to that private hospital and examined the document related to the girl’s treatment.

After receiving the news about the girl’s death, a team from the municipal department went to the girl’s house and conducted an anti-larvae survey in nearby areas. Fogging was also carried out. 

Local citizens complained that there was a water logging issue in the area, but despite repeated requests, the city municipal department did not take appropriate action.

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There were 22 new active cases of dengue reported. Out of these 22 cases, 11 were from Gwalior, while the remaining cases were reported from nearby areas

More than 100 suspected patients were examined at Gajra Raja Medical College and Hospital. The majority of patients are from the Thatipur, Kaithwali Gali area, Gulabpuri, Guraguri Naka, Suraiya Pura, and Gwalior. In addition, the patients from Datia, Shivpuri, Bhind, Morena, and Ambah districts were also found to be infected.

A healthcare professional on the condition of anonymity, said, "The tragic death of an eight-year-old girl serves as a wake-up call for all of us to act responsibly and take appropriate actions and precautions to mitigate this issue."

Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease that infects humans through infected Aedes aegypti or  Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Symptoms of dengue include fever, headache, body pain, fatigue, vomiting, and rashes

Doctors and public health experts advise people to avoid visiting dengue-prone areas, maintain good hygiene, use mosquito repellants, seek medical attention if they experience any symptoms, and avoid self-medication.