Dengue death toll rises to six in Delhi; cases mount to over 1,530

New Delhi, November 1

Five more deaths due to dengue have been recorded in the national capital this year, taking the total number of fatalities to six, while the number of cases of the vector-borne disease has climbed to over 1,530, according to a civic report released on Monday.

This is the highest number of fatalities due to dengue recorded in a year in the National Capital since 2017 when the total death count officially reported had stood at 10, same as in 2016 (10).

Of the total count of dengue cases in Delhi this year, 1,196 have been reported this month till October 30.

The total number of cases this year till October 23 had stood at 1,006, and the official death toll then was one. So, 531 fresh cases have been logged in one week.

As per the civic report on vector-borne diseases released on Monday, six deaths and a total of 1,537 dengue cases have been recorded this season till October 30, which is highest count since 2018 for the same period.

In September this season, 217 cases were logged, the highest count for this month in the last three years.

The number of cases reported for the January 1-October 30 period in the previous three years were 612 (2020); 1,069 (2019) and 1,595 (2018), as per the report.

A total of 1,072 cases and one death, were logged in the entire year in 2020, according to the report released by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, the nodal agency for tabulating data on vector-borne diseases in the city.

The number of deaths due to dengue in years preceding to 2020, had stood at two (2019); four (2018); 10 (2017); and 10 (2016), according to the official tally maintained by the SDMC.

The 1,196 cases reported in October till date is by far the highest number of cases recorded in a month this year.

The month-wise distribution of dengue cases in 2021 stands as January (0), February (two), March (five), April (10) and May (12), June (7), July (16) and August (72), as per the report.

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.

As per 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 4431 (2016), 4726 (2017), 2798 (2018), 2036 (2019) and 1072 (2020), as per the report.

Malaria, dengue and chikungunya are accompanied with 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 outbreak of dengue, when the number of dengue cases reported has crossed 10,600 in October itself, making it the worst outbreak of the vector-borne disease in the national capital since 1996. PTI