Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain made a bizarre claim that there is no “outbreak of the mosquito born disease, Chikungunya in the state, at a press conference held on Wednesday. He further stated that the disease doesn’t cause “deaths” and accused the media of “creating panic” among the public.
My PC on Dengue & Chikengunia pic.twitter.com/2BFZYF0bHz
— Satyendar Jain (@SatyendarJain) September 13, 2016
He said, “Medically, there is no death due to chikungunya, but media is showing deaths due to this disease. I want to make it clear that chikungunya is not fatal. There are 200 deaths in Delhi every day, but nobody asks about it, reports PTI
Reporter: Delhi kiskay bharosay?
Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain: Modi Bharosay aur LG bharosay pic.twitter.com/UmWJbohsmO— ANI (@ANI_news) September 13, 2016
There has never been any death due to chikungunya in the World. This is media created panic. Please don’t spread panic- Satyendra Jain
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 13, 2016
Prove it medically(death due to chikungunya),medically chikungunya can nevr b cause of anyone’s death-Satyendra Jain pic.twitter.com/EKs78fxF5x
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 13, 2016
There is no outbreak (of chikungunya). It has been created by you (media) by spreading panic: Satyendra Jain pic.twitter.com/m1byxUWW37
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 13, 2016
Jain on Wednesday returned to Delhi from Goa, where he was campaigning for AAP. The Health Minister also carried out inspections of few Delhi government hospitals on Wednesday and appealed to people to not panic. He sent out a series of tweets to do damage control.
4 Deaths due to Chikangunia reported from one pvt hospital (Ganga Ram). No death in any Delhi govt hospital . Enquiry ordered.
— Satyendar Jain (@SatyendarJain) September 13, 2016
Visited 5 hospitals of Delhi govt. Very good arrangements for treatment of Dengue & Chikangunia. No need to panic. pic.twitter.com/zCwc8ixjj6
— Satyendar Jain (@SatyendarJain) September 13, 2016
Visited 10 hospitals of Delhi govt. Very good arrangements for treatment of Dengue & Chikangunia. No need to panic pic.twitter.com/dgTfTgQfVB
— Satyendar Jain (@SatyendarJain) September 13, 2016
Doctors say that chikungunya is not a life-threatening disease in general, but in rare cases leads to complications that prove fatal, especially in children and old persons. Sources said the probe would seek to find the exact cause of death. Jain had also accused the Lt Governor of “paralysing” the health system in Delhi, reports PTI.
While social media was quick to react. His statements sparked different reactions from people.
Twitter was divided on this issue.
Many took a dig at the minister and Aam Admi Party
Replace #Chikungunya with #Chutiyapa , Thats what #SatyendraJain meant. Your biased media wale… https://t.co/R8SSAzrnff
— Chinmaya Kabi (@c4chinmaya) September 14, 2016
Joint research of Satyendra Jain & Janta Ka Reporter proves that #Chikungunya is NOT a disease but a healthy dish.https://t.co/a87O5G7mbZ
— ओमर अब्दुल्लाह (@abdullah_0mar) September 13, 2016
So @AtishiMarlena has just confirmed. Delhi health Minister is monitoring #Chikungunya outbreak in Delhi from Goa!!😂 pic.twitter.com/MXCBYQjbku
— Priti Gandhi (@MrsGandhi) September 13, 2016
AAPia solutions to fight dengue/ chikungunya–go to foreign jaunts>> Brazil, Finland, london.. no mosquitoes there #ChikungunyaCapital
— Siddharth Sharma (@sidsunplugged) September 14, 2016
#Aamadmiparty has crossed all levels of shame. Instead of taking action they are playing blame game #Chikungunya #ChikungunyaCapital
— Dhritiman (@dhritiman_7) September 13, 2016
A breed of mosquitos called #AAP has stung Delhi so hard to make it synonymous with #ChikungunyaCapital ; conceptually & factually.
— Vivek (@vivekkansara) September 13, 2016
AAP supporters in turn questioned the Modi government and the LG of Delhi for not taking the required steps.
#ChikungunyaCapital #MCD is one department that has gone from bad to worse under #Modi. I was blocked by #Sushma when I complained in 2013.
— Kuldeep Sharma (@Kuldeep9Sharma) September 14, 2016
If #Chikungunya were a file approved by AAP, LG would surely have stopped it.
— Shirish Kunder (@ShirishKunder) September 13, 2016
Some AAP supporters went to the extent of factually proving the minister’s claims
Yes #Chikungunya is Non Fatal.
Only Rarest of rare cases, with mutliple complications results in Death – WHO pic.twitter.com/qywbn4dO9F— AAP Ka Mehta (@DaaruBaazMehta) September 13, 2016
Pic 1 : Media busy Blaming Delhi Govt,
Pic 2 : Highest #Chikungunya cases in BJP Ruled Pune this year. pic.twitter.com/QV2Vwivq63— AAP Ka Mehta (@DaaruBaazMehta) September 13, 2016
While the blame game continued, there was one neutral tweet that actually made sense
Delhi is our collective responsibility. People are suffering. Instead of blame game, lets all roll our sleeves and get to work. #Chikungunya
— Dr. Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) September 13, 2016
(With inputs from PTI)
(Feature image source: Twitter/@anuragdhanda )