81 dengue cases in Delhi so far

NEW DELHI: Five fresh dengue cases have been reported in Delhi in the last one week, taking the city's tally to 81, according to a civic report released on Monday.

Till April 23, this year, 76 dengue cases had been recorded in the city. Five fresh dengue cases were reported last week.

At least 81 dengue cases have been recorded so far this year, the report said. No death has been reported due to the vector-borne disease so far, it said.

Delhi had recorded 23 dengue cases in January, 16 in February and 22 in March.

In April, the city logged 20 cases, the report said.

During the period from January 1 to April 30, 17 cases were logged in 2021, 13 in 2020, eight in 2019, 12 in 2018 and 18 in 2017, it said.

Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between July and November, but the period may stretch till mid-December.

Civic officials said this year, dengue cases are being recorded early due to the congenial weather for mosquito-breeding. The SDMC is the nodal agency for the control of vector-borne diseases in the city.

Last year, 9,613 dengue cases, the highest since 2015, were recorded in the national capital. As many as 23 deaths, the highest since 2016, were also recorded in the city.

In 2016, 10 deaths due to dengue were recorded. Delhi had recorded two deaths due to dengue in 2019, four in 2018, and 10 in 2017.

According to the SDMC report, 4,431 dengue cases were recorded in Delhi in 2016, 4,726 in 2017, 2,798 in 2018, 2,036 in 2019 and 1,072 in 2020.

In 2015, the city had witnessed a massive outbreak of dengue with the number of cases crossing 10,600 in October itself. It was Delhi's worst dengue outbreak since 1996.

Delhi has also reported 11 cases of malaria and eight of chikungunya so far this year, the report said.

The SDMC's Public Health Department recently conducted a drive to check mosquito breeding at construction sites in schools and hospitals and had issued 99 notices against violators.