Delhi records highest number of dengue cases in 6 years; 3,740 in November

The number of dengue cases in Delhi this season has crossed 5,270, the highest in the national capital in a year since 2015, according to a civic report released on Monday.

Nearly 2,570 fresh cases of the vector-borne disease were logged in the city in the last one week. However, no fresh fatality was reported.

According to the report on vector-borne diseases, a total of 5,277 dengue cases were recorded this year till November 13.

In the previous years, the total count of dengue cases stood at -- 4,431 (in 2016), 4,726 (2017), 2,798 (2018), 2,036 (2019) and 1,072 (2020), according to the report.

In 2015, the city had witnessed a massive outbreak of dengue, during which the number of reported cases crossed 10,600 in October alone, making it the worst outbreak of the vector-borne disease in the national capital since 1996.

Of the dengue cases in Delhi this year, 3,740 were reported in the first 13 days of November.

In October, 1,196 cases were reported, the highest dengue cases count for October in the last four years. The total number of cases this year till November 6 had stood at 2,708 and the official death toll due to dengue was nine.

A three-year-old girl, a minor boy are among the nine persons who have succumbed to dengue recently. A 63 year-old man, a resident of Rohini, had also died due to dengue.

In September, 217 cases were logged, the highest count for the month in three years. This is also the highest number of fatalities due to dengue recorded in a year in the national capital since 2017, when the officially reported death count was 10.

The number of deaths due to dengue in years preceding to 2020, had stood at -- 2 (in 2019); 4 (2018); 10 (2017); and 10 (2016), according to the official tally maintained by the SDMC.

The number of cases reported for the January 1-November 13 period in the previous five years were -- 821 (in 2020); 1,474 (2019); 2,146  (in 2018); 4,375 (2017) and 3,913 (2016) 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 releasd by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, the nodal agency for tabulating data on vector-borne diseases in the city.

The 3,740 cases reported in November, is by far the highest number of cases recorded in a month this year. It is also the highest count for this month, in at least six years.

The month-wise distribution of dengue cases in 2021 stands as -- January (0), February (2), March (5), 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.

According to the civic report, 166 cases of malaria and 89 cases of chikungunya have also been reported till November 13 this year in Delhi.

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.