Uttar Pradesh registers sharp decline in dengue cases; active infections stand at 32

The number of dengue infections in Uttar Pradesh has dropped significantly, with only 32 active cases remaining, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) informed on Sunday. According to the UP CMO, 16 of the 32 active cases are in Kanpur. Earlier in October, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had asked officials to monitor the situation, and dengue fever cases in the state have decreased significantly since then. 

According to a state official, the government is making all feasible efforts on the ground to contain the spread of dengue and taking necessary measures to prevent water-borne infections. On Sunday, Chief Minister Adityanath issued an order for officers to remain vigilant. Besides, monitoring committees have been conducting door-to-door screenings for dengue, cholera, diarrhoea, malaria, and coronavirus on a regular basis, the official informed. 

A state official told PTI on Sunday that six cases of dengue fever have been detected in the Muzaffarnagar district in the last 24 hours. Chief Medical Officer MS Faujdar informed that health professionals are fumigating the affected sites in the district as a preventative step. He added that the total number of detected cases in the district rose to 268, with 43 cases detected in the past week. Nine cases of dengue fever were reported in the Muzaffarnagar district on Saturday.

Delhi records highest Dengue cases since 2015

Meanwhile, according to a civic report released on Monday, the number of dengue cases in Delhi this season has surpassed 5,270, the highest in the national capital in a year since 2015. In the last week, the city has seen about 2,570 new cases. However, no new fatalities have been reported. A total of 5,277 dengue cases were reported this year till November 13, according to the report on vector-borne diseases. In September, 217 cases were reported, which was the highest monthly total in three years. This is also the largest number of dengue-related deaths in the national capital in a year since 2017 when the official death toll was 10.

Malaria causing mosquito larvae thrive in unclean water, while dengue mosquito larvae develop in clear, standing water. Vector-borne disease cases are most common between July and November but might last until mid-December. A total of 166 cases of malaria and 89 cases of chikungunya have also been documented in Delhi until November 13 this year. As high fever is associated with malaria, dengue, and chikungunya, experts believe that people may fear they have contracted COVID-19. Civic bodies have increased their fogging and spraying efforts in response to an increase in dengue cases.

(With inputs from ANI/PTI, Image: Unsplash)