705 fresh cases of Dengue reported in Delhi, over 8,000 people affected

New Delhi: At least 705 fresh cases of dengue have been reported over the last one week in the city, taking the total number of people affected by the vector-borne disease to over 8,000, according to a municipal report released on Tuesday.

The number of malaria and chikungunya cases recorded till November 11 stand at 1,106 and 855 respectively.

Of the total 8,063 cases of dengue, 4,188 patients belonged to Delhi. Patients from other states who came to the city for treatment numbered 3,875, the report said.

The number of dengue cases recorded till November 6 had stood at 7,358.

The mosquito-borne tropical disease had claimed its first victim in the city this year when a 12-year-old boy died of dengue shock syndrome at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) on August 1.

Three more deaths were reported in October by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) which tabulates data for the entire city.

The civic body, however, has not acknowledged two fatalities, due to dengue, at the LNJP Hospital.

The number of malaria and chikungunya cases recorded in the city till October 14 stood at 1,062 and 683 respectively, the report said.

Of the total 5,220 dengue cases, 2,564 were residents of Delhi, while the rest were from other states. Of the 2,564 Delhi cases, 757 were reported this month, it said.

Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between mid-July and November-end. This year, however, it has been much earlier.

Dengue and chikungunya are caused by the aedes aegypti mosquito, which breeds in clear water. The female anopheles mosquito, which causes malaria, can breed in both fresh and muddy water.

According to the SDMC, mosquito breeding has been reported from 2,03,183 households in Delhi this year till November 11.

At least 21 deaths due to dengue were reported last year from various city hospitals, including nine at AIIMS, though the official figure of the civic bodies stood at 10.

Seventeen deaths, suspected to be due to malaria, were also reported by civic bodies last year.

At least 15 fatalities were reported last year from various city hospitals due to complications triggered by chikungunya, though civic authorities kept the death tally at zero.

One of the worst outbreaks of chikungunya was in 2016 when 12,221 cases were reported till December 24, 2016. Of these, 9,749 were confirmed.