Breeding of vector-borne diseases spiked by 90% in Delhi in 2023: MCD

The breeding of vector-borne diseases like dengue, malaria and chikungunya spiked by nearly 90 per cent in Delhi during the monsoon season last year as compared to 2022, revealed an MCD report.

According to the report, which also outlines the action plan of the corporation for the prevention and control of vector-borne disease for the forthcoming monsoon season, there has been a spike in the number of such breedings found during home inspections in the last four years since 2020.

Monsoon is expected to arrive in the national capital by the end of this month, around June 27.

Delhi recorded 325,875 cases of mosquito breeding at home in 2023, nearly 90 per cent higher than 171,931 in 2022, the data in the report shows.

The year 2022 also saw a considerable dip in the number of house breeding cases by over 24,000 cases. In 2021, Delhi recorded 196,303 instances of such breedings. In 2020, instances of mosquito breeding at homes in Delhi stood at 109,550.

The report also shows, the number of legal notices issued by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to owners of households where the breeding of vector-borne diseases was found also increased to 172,481 in 2023 from 122,282 in 2022 -- a 41 per cent jump in a year.

Furthermore, the MCD conducted 41,476,581 house inspections in 2023 to look out for the breeding of vector-borne diseases in the city -- which was ramped up by nearly 15 per cent than the previous year.

In 2022, 36,076,419 house inspections were conducted, up from 30,795,251 in 2021 and 12,286,481 in 2020.

Of the total number of legal notices sent to the householders in 2023, the MCD launched prosecution against 74,342 people for violation of the MCD (Malaria and other vector-borne diseases) bye-laws 1975.

In 2022, legal action was taken against 45,934 people, up from 27,427 people in 2021 and 10,372 people in 2020, data shows.

The MCD has not released its weekly data on the number of cases, dengue deaths, and status of vector-borne diseases since August 7, 2023.

The exercise was stalled in the run-up to the G-20 summit in Delhi, the civic body officials had said.

When asked for the tally, the MCD officials refused to provide data stating it was not ready. However, sources at the municipal corporation told PTI that the records were regularly maintained and the numbers are believed to be high.