A 19-year-old man passed away from multi-organ failure caused by dengue shock syndrome while receiving treatment at a hospital in Okhla on Thursday, according to a family member of the deceased.
Md Mehraj was laid to rest in the Batla House graveyard on the same day. Thousands of residents, including his relatives and local leaders, gathered at the graveyard to bid farewell, said Mohd Faiz, a relative of Mehraj.
“After falling ill, we took Mehraj to a local hospital, and the test confirmed that he had dengue. He was subsequently admitted to a hospital in Okhla, where he died after several days,” said Mehraj.
He urged Okhla’s leaders to maintain the cleanliness of the area and conduct regular fogging to effectively combat the spread of dengue.
Mehraj was a resident of Noor Nagar.
Residents of Okhla Vihar, who gathered at the graveyard, expressed their sorrow over his demise and lamented the loss of a young life to dengue.
Azeem Arshi said: “Local leaders have fallen short in maintaining the cleanliness of the area. Waterlogging is pervasive, roads are in deplorable condition, and garbage is accumulating unchecked. It is imperative that regular fogging is undertaken.”
For many residents, this marks the first dengue-related death in Okhla.
However, residents still vividly recall the numerous fatalities that occurred in the locality years ago when Delhi was grappling with a dengue outbreak.
