Dengue cases cross 4000 mark in Delhi

(Representational Image)

Dengue cases in the capital have crossed the 4,000 mark this year — a 68 per cent increase as compared to last year, according to the latest data by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

Last week, Delhi reported 680 fresh cases of dengue — of which 335 were patients who acquired the infection from outside the state, the data stated.

Until October 7 this year, the data revealed, the capital had reported 4,545 cases of dengue. Of these, 53 per cent patients acquired the infection from outside the city. Last year, during the same period, the capital reported 2,711 cases.

Areas under the jurisdiction of densely populated South Delhi Municipal Corporation continued to report the maximum number of cases — 452 this year.

Besides, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation recorded 295 cases while  the East Delhi Municipal Corporation recorded 104 cases of dengue. As reported by The Indian Express, a milder form of the vector-borne disease is dominant this year. Meanwhile, following a chikungunya outbreak last year, the capital has now  reported a 91 per cent decline in cases of the vector-borne infection.

According to MCD data, 368 cases of chikungunya were reported till October 7 this year — a steep decline as compared to the 4,120 cases reported last year during the same period. Last week, however, 49 fresh cases of chikungunya were reported, of which 19 were patients who acquired the infection from outside the city.

Malaria cases, however, continued to spike in the city. According to the data, 37 fresh cases were reported last week.  Also, 23 cases of malaria have been reported this week, where the infection was acquired from other states.  During the season, 1,032 cases of malaria have been reported in Delhi — a 87 per cent increase as compared to last year.