650 New Cases of Dengue Reported in a Week in Delhi

Delhi has registered 650 fresh cases of dengue in the past one week taking the total number of confirmed cases this year to 5,870. In yet another dengue death in the city, the wife of a CATS ambulance worker lost her life on Monday, taking the death toll to six. The official figure, however, remains three as in its October third week report, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has not acknowledged the two deaths that took place at the Lok Nayak Hospital. But the hospital's Medical Superintendent has confirmed the two deaths.

"September and October are peak months for the spread of dengue. The numbers will come down as winter sets in," said a municipal health official. He said the current temperature is conducive for mosquito breeding.

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

Of the total 5,870 dengue cases, 2,884 were residents of Delhi, while the rest were from other States. Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between mid-July and November-end. This year, however, cases were seen much earlier.

The number of malaria and chikungunya cases recorded in the city till the third week of October stood at 1,073 and 731 respectively, the report said.

Last year, as per the civic bodies, the official dengue death toll stood at 10, while 17 deaths were suspected to be due to malaria.

Advertisement

Incidence of chikungunya has remained low this year with total 731 cases. Last year, Delhi witnessed an outbreak situation with almost nine times, 6,575 chikungunya cases, reported in the same corresponding period.

Source-Medindia