Delhi reports 300 dengue cases in a week; malaria, chikungunya cases on rise too

NEW DELHI: In the past week, Delhi has reported over 300 new dengue cases, increasing the total cases this year to 1,229, according to official data.
Additionally, malaria cases in Delhi have seen a significant rise compared to last year. So far, the city has recorded 363 malaria cases this month, compared to 294 in the same period in 2023. Last year, Delhi reported a total of 426 malaria cases, with most cases coming from West Delhi.
Chikungunya cases are also higher this year, with 43 reported, nearly double last year's 23 cases.A total of 65 chikungunya cases were reported last year, with the majority of cases this year coming from South Delhi.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) data shows that from January to September 21, there have been 1,229 dengue cases, including the death of a 54-year-old at Lok Nayak Hospital. Delhi reported 651 dengue cases this month alone, with a notable increase from 256 cases in August.
However, these numbers are lower compared to last year, when Delhi reported 3,013 dengue cases by this time, a significant rise from 525 cases in 2022. The entire year of 2023 saw 9,266 dengue cases and 19 deaths, with 2,141 cases occurring in September alone.
This year, the highest number of dengue cases, 180, has been reported in the Najafgarh zone, with 45 cases recorded in the past week. The South zone reported an equal number of cases. Non-MCD areas, such as NDMC, Delhi Cantt, and Railways, have contributed 312 cases to the total tally.
The data excludes patients who are not Delhi residents, those who provided incomplete or incorrect addresses, and those who couldn't be located at their recorded address.
Civic body officials attribute the lower number of dengue cases this year to their comprehensive efforts, including house-to-house inspections, regular insecticide spraying, and public awareness campaigns. The MCD has issued over 1.14 lakh legal notices and 39,338 challans to individuals who allowed mosquito breeding on their properties. Repeat offenders have been fined Rs 24.82 lakh, and police complaints have been filed against 9,241 people for non-compliance.
The MCD plans to increase fogging operations at major upcoming public events like Dussehra and Durga Puja and enhance inspections and anti-larval measures in high mosquito population areas to reduce virus transmission.