Breaking all past records of last five years, the total number of dengue cases in the Capital has reached 3,791 with South MCD recording most number of cases — 575. According to MCD dengue report, nearly 2,000 fresh dengue cases have been reported in the third week alone with the deadly outbreak of dengue disease breaking 2010 record of 2728 till September 19. In a shocking development, the cases are thrice the number as compared to last week’s data which had recorded over 600 cases. The shocking data has come during the time when the agencies — all three Corporations and the Government — have been claiming to put their all efforts to control the deadly disease.
According to the data, the latest victim of dengue was a 36-year-old woman from east Delhi who passed away on Saturday night at a private hospital. While unofficial figure of death toll stands at 23, the official municipal data that was released on Monday stated that death count rose to 17. Out of the total number of cases reported till 19 September, at least 2,960 of them were recorded this month only. Till 12 September, at least 1,872 cases and five official deaths due to dengue were reported. The 1,919 new cases thus mark a rise of over 102 per cent in the last one week though the MCDs and the Delhi Government claim that the health situation in response to the vector-borne disease has improved.
“Now the health situation is better and we are winning the battle against dengue as the situation is improving,” Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Sunday. In 2010, as many as 6,259 total cases were recorded and only eight deaths were officially reported throughout the year.
However, till September 19, 2010, the corresponding number of total cases was 2,728, more than a thousand less than reported during the same period this year. In the same duration, 75 cases were registered in 2014 while in 2013 it stood at 1,355. Over 30 cases were recorded in 2012 while 2011 saw 189 cases. Out of the total cases, north Delhi recorded the highest at 1,293, south Delhi at 1,074 while east Delhi posted the lowest with 393 cases. Of all civic zones in the city, Rohini Zone of North Delhi Municipal Corporation has recorded the highest number with 291 cases.