Over 1,530 cases of dengue have been reported in Delhi this year so far, of which nearly 1,200 were recorded in October alone, the highest count for the month in the last four years, official data showed. The national capital had registered a higher count of 2,022 dengue cases for October in 2017, according to figures shared by civic authorities.
Five fatalities due to dengue were registered on Monday. With this, the total fatalities in the city caused by the vector-borne disease reached six, also the highest since 2017 when the official death tally stood at 10.
According to a report on vector-borne diseases released on Monday by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), the city's nodal agency for tabulating data on the matter, 1,537 dengue cases have been recorded this season till October 30, the highest count since 2018 for the same period.
The number of cases reported between January 1 and October 30 in the previous three years was 612 in 2020; 1,069 in 2019 and 1,595 in 2018, the report showed.
Of the total dengue cases in Delhi this year, 1,196 have been reported in October till the 30th day of the month. The dengue case count for October in the previous five years were -- 1,517 in 2016; 2,022 in 2017; 1,114 in 2018; 787 in 2019; and 346 in 2020.
The total number of cases this year till October 23 was 1,006 and the official death toll till then was one. So, more than 530 fresh cases were logged in one week.
In September this year, 217 dengue cases were logged, the highest for the month in the last three years. A total of 1,072 cases and one death, were logged in the entire year in 2020, according to the report released by the SDMC. The number of deaths due to dengue in years preceding 2020, had stood at two in 2019; four in 2018; 10 in 2017; and 10 in 2016.
The 1,196 cases reported in October, is by far the highest number of cases recorded in a month this year. In 2021, January recorded no dengue case, February two, March five, April 10, May 12, June seven, July sixteen and August 7.
Dengue mosquito larvae breed in clear, standing water, while those of malaria thrive even in dirty water. Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between July and November, but the period may stretch till mid-December.
According to the civic report, 160 cases of malaria and 81 cases of chikungunya have also been reported till October 30 this year in Delhi.
In the previous years, the total dengue cases reported were -- 4,431 in 2016; 4,726 in 2017; 2,798 in 2018; 2,036 in 2019 and 1,072 in 2020, according to the report.
Malaria, dengue and chikungunya are accompanied by high fever and therefore, doctors feel that people might suspect that they have contracted COVID-19. Amid the spike in cases of dengue, the three civic bodies have intensified their fogging and spraying drives.
In 2015, the city had witnessed a massive dengue outbreak, with the total number of cases reported crossing 10,600 in October itself, making it the worst outbreak of the vector-borne disease in the national capital since 1996.
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