With 58 fresh cases of malaria reported in the national Capital in August, the total number of people affected by the vector-borne diseases in the city this season has reached to 277, according to a report released by South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), which tabulates data on vector-borne diseases for the city.
Out of 277 cases, 131 cases traced from people who visited Delhi from neighbouring states for treatment. The total number of dengue cases also reached to 176 this season. On the other hand, the total number of people affected from chikungunya, stands at 93 with three fresh cases reported last week.
According to the report, all the three municipal corporations have reported breeding of mosquitoes in nearly 1, 14,532 households in the city till August 25. Among the areas falling under the three municipal corporations, the cases of breeding reported were from areas of north, south and east corporations are respectively 31332, 52033and 31167, according to the civic bodies, which are grappling with rising number of cases of the vector-borne diseases. The civic bodies have served 1, 04,866 legal notices to various people and establishments after mosquitogenic conditions were found in their houses or premises. At least 14,155 prosecutions have also been launched after breeding was found, the report said.
The total number of the people affected by dengue was 9,271in 2017 and the numbers of malaria and chikungunya cases recorded in 2017 stood at 1,142 and 940 respectively. Of the 9,271 dengue cases, 4,726 patients were from Delhi, while 4,545 had come to the city from other states for treatment.
Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between mid-July and November-end but this period may stretch up to mid-December. Dengue and chikungunya are caused by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which breeds in clean water. The female Anopheles mosquito, which causes malaria, breeds in both clean and muddy water.
A senior north corporation official said that the civic body has taken measures to prevent mosquito breeding and creating awareness by using various media, deploying more dengue breeding checkers to check breeding and desilting of drains to avoid water-logging.
He also said that all zonal officials directed to drop environment-friendly mosquito larvae-eating fish Gambusia in water-bodies and fountains in its areas. “A young fish is capable of consuming 100 to 300 larvae in a day and even survives on weeds,” he said.
On June 28, Delhi lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal had directed local bodies and other agencies to intensify vector-control measures. He had also asked for regular meetings at the level of district magistrates with all stakeholders to review the situation in their respective districts.