LUCKNOW, Oct. 25 -- With 22 fresh dengue cases reported on Saturday, Lucknow's annual tally rose to 622, prompting King George's Medical University (KGMU) to extend platelet preparation hours into the evening to improve availability for patients arriving after 5 pm. KGMU supplied 1,260 units of platelets in the past week. Earlier, platelet preparation was restricted to daytime hours. Dr KK Sawlani of KGMU's department of medicine said not all dengue patients require platelet transfusions. The decision depends on the patient's clinical condition, bleeding and other medical indicators, as a low platelet count alone does not warrant transfusion. Chief medical officer (CMO) Dr NB Singh urged people not to panic and advised them to get tested promptly if they develop fever and follow medical advice. He said dengue testing and treatment facilities were available free of cost at government hospitals.htc...