Delhi: Vector-borne diseases continue to spread affecting over 8,500

New Delhi: At least 486 fresh cases of dengue have been reported in the city last week, taking the total number of people affected by the vector-borne disease to over 8,500, according to a municipal report released today.

The number of malaria and chikungunya cases recorded till November 18 stood at 1,111 and 878, respectively.

Of the total 8,549 cases of dengue, 4,375 patients belonged to Delhi. Patients from other states who came to the city for treatment numbered 4,174, the report said.

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

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 dengue cases recorded in the city in October stood at 2,022, the report said.

Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between mid-July and November-end.

This year, however, the disease spread much earlier.

Dengue and chikungunya are caused by 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 2,05,967 households in Delhi till November 11 this year.

At least 21 deaths due to dengue were reported last year from various city hospitals, including nine at the premier 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 at 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. Of these, 9,749 were confirmed.