New Delhi: Malaria is spreading faster than dengue this season, with at least 11 fresh cases of malaria been reported during the past week in Delhi, pushing the total number of people affected by the vector-borne disease this season to 40.
Meanwhile, only four fresh cases of dengue were reported in Delhi between June 16-23, according to a municipal report released on Monday.
Of the total 40 malaria cases, 19 were reported in June, 17 in May, one each in April and March, and two in February. Of the 28 dengue cases this season, six were reported in January, three in February, one in March, two in April and 10 last month and six in June.
The cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between July and November, but the period may stretch to mid-December. No vector-borne disease case was reported till January 13. Also, no fresh case of chikungunya was reported in the past one week, the figure remaining at 14, said the report by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, which tabulates data for the entire city.
Domestic breeding checkers have found mosquito-breeding in 38,021 households in the city till June 23. It said 44,020 legal notices have been served for various violations and 3,073 prosecutions have been initiated.
Delhi lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal last month asked officials to spread awareness and sensitise people to prevent vector-borne diseases. He told them that crisp messages, particularly in vernacular languages, must be disseminated, besides involving school students in the awareness-generation drive.
Mr Baijal has ordered local bodies to regularly monitor the work of domestic breeding checkers and fix accountability.
The L-G had emphasised that local bodies must prioritise areas identified by the health department as most vulnerable to mosquito-breeding.
Ten people died due to dengue in Delhi last year. Five of the victims were not Delhi residents, but they died in the national capital.
Overall, the vector-borne disease has affected 9,271 people in the city last year.
The official toll maintained by Delhi municipal authorities till December 26 stood at four, even though some hospitals reported a few more deaths due to dengue.
The mosquito-borne tropical disease had claimed its first victim in the city last year on August 1 when a 12-year-old boy died of dengue shock syndrome at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
Three more deaths were reported in October by the SDMC.
