Delhi reports 485 fresh dengue cases last week
A total of 485 fresh cases of dengue was reported over the last week in the city, taking the number of people affected by the vector-borne disease to 2,215, a municipal report has said.
The fresh cases of malaria and chikungunya in the week were 105 and 40, respectively, the report released on Moday stated.
Dengue has claimed one life so far in the city in the running season of vector-borne diseases.
Of the 2,215 cases of dengue, 1,177 affected people were residents of Delhi, while the rest were patients from other states. Of the 1,177 cases of Delhi residents, 348 were reported this month.
In August, 518 cases of dengue were reported.
The report gave the total number of malaria and chikungunya till September 16 this year to 869 and 472, respectively.
Vector-borne diseases are reported between mid-July and November-end. Cases of all the three vector-borne diseases were reported much earlier this time, which doctors had attributed to early arrival of the monsoon.
Dengue and chikungunya are caused by aedes agypti mosquito, which breeds in clear water. Anopheles mosquito, which causes malaria, can breed in both fresh and muddy water.
According to the report, breeding of mosquitoes has been reported at 1,57,552 households in Delhi. All the three municipal corporations have stepped up awareness drives -- distributing pamphlets and plying vehicles with loudspeakers issuing dos and don'ts for prevention of the diseases.
The city government has banned over-the-counter sale of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and brufen as their use may "pose a threat" to dengue and chikungunya patients.
At least 21 deaths due to dengue were reported last year at various hospitals, including nine at AIIMS, though the official tally of the civic bodies stood at 10. 17 deaths suspected to be due to malaria were also reported by the civic bodies.
At least 15 fatalities were reported last year at various hospitals in the city due to complications triggered by chikungunya, though the civic bodies have kept the death tally at zero.
In one of the worst outbreaks, a total of 12,221 chikungunya cases were reported in Delhi till December 24, 2016, out of which 9,749 were confirmed.
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