Dengue cases jump to 90 in Delhi, 40 cases last week

At least 90 cases of dengue have been reported in the national capital this season, marking a spike of 80% over the last week, according to a municipal report released today.

The sudden jump has now taken the number of vector-borne disease cases recorded this month to 62 till July 23.

A total of 50 cases were reported till July 16 with May recording six cases and June witnessing 15, it said.

40 fresh cases have been reported since the last count and the total number of cases so far in the city is at least 90, a senior civic official said.

Last year, the city saw a staggering 15,867 dengue cases, the worst in 20 years with the disease claiming 60 lives, according to municipal reports.

This year, dengue cases have been reported rather early. Last year only six cases were reported in June, while July registered 36.

Sadar Paharganj and Karol Bagh Zones under North Delhi Municipal Corporation reported a case each, while Najafgarh Zone of South Delhi Municipal Corporation has recorded five cases.

Two each were recorded in West and Central Zones and one in South Zone, said a senior official of SDMC, which compiles dengue report on behalf of all the civic bodies in the city.

SDMC has reported 10 cases overall while East Delhi Municipal Corporation has recorded two. Of the total number of cases this year, 24 were reported from areas outside the jurisdiction of the three municipal corporations.

While 11 cases were reported from Uttar Pradesh, three of those diagnosed with the disease came from Haryana, and 38 of them came from other states.

The number of houses where breeding of mosquitoes were found are - 13,139 (NDMC), 30,044 (SDMC) and 4,705 (EDMC). And, number of prosecution launched respectively in these areas were 507, 1526 and 167 respectively, the report said.

As part of its preventive measure against the disease, NDMC had last month launched a drive and sought to popularise the use of a specially made cooler and the plant Agave Americana.

Also, the Union Health Ministry last month had decided that dengue patients hailing from towns in the National Capital Region seeking treatment in Delhi hospitals will be registered separately this year so that they are not clubbed with local patients.

In 1996, a severe outbreak of dengue had occurred in Delhi wherein about 10,252 cases and 423 deaths were reported. In 2010, besides over 6,200 cases, only eight deaths were officially reported.

The Commonwealth Games were held that year and massive construction works in the city was a major reason behind the spread of the disease.