Despite civic agencies claiming to have taken all the steps to prevent vector-borne diseases, cases of dengue and chikungunya have increased with 67 malaria cases being reported. Of them nine cases were registered between June 1 and 9 this month.
According to the status report of South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) released on Monday, dengue cases have touched 70 in which 25 cases have been reported from outside Delhi and chikungunya cases stand at 135.
In its bid to combat the menace, the SDMC on Monday launched a new technologically advanced application called Vector-borne disease control (VBDC) to cover 16 vulnerable wards identified on the basis of substantial breeding data localities.
“This will go a long way to develop a micro plan to completely eradicate the challenge of mosquitoes resulting in diseases like dengue and chikungunya. Two hundred ‘Dengue Breeding Checkers’ (DBC) have been given tablet and uniform so that they will easily be identified.” a Corporation’s official said.
SDMC Commissioner Dr Puneet Kumar Goel said controlling the outbreak of vector-borne diseases during rainy season, is a challenge. “The new app and tablets will help in developing a micro plan for the future and to safeguard the residents from the menace of mosquitoes. The DBCs have been collecting data in paper registers since 1996 but till date we did not develop any micro plan to cover each and every house on regular and fixed intervals. The DBCs will be able to maintain entire records in the tablets which could be check at any moment by the Corporation.
SDMC Mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat said the role of DBCs employees in prevention and control of vector-borne diseases is crucial. As, the life cycle of mosquitoes is seven days so checking breeding within seven days will certainly help in curbing the vector-borne diseases.
“The new system will ensure proper monitoring, digitalisation, paperless data collection, real time monitoring of DBCs and proof collection for legal enforcement. The DBCS will also be able to upload photos of the sites of breeding,” she added.
Meanwhile, leader of Opposition in SDMC Ramesh Matiala stated that the vacant posts of DBCs should be filled at the earliest to overcome the shortest of employees.
Chikungunya and dengue cases in the national Capital had tapered off by December first week last year that had witnessed worst chikungunya outbreak in the last 10 years. However, since 2016 cases have started being reported.