The number of people infected with Malaria in the national Capital has reached to 41 this year which is highest reported in last five years till May.
According to the data released by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Monday two fresh cases of Malaria reported last week, taking the number of people suffering from malaria to 41 this year.
Also, one fresh case of dengue reported in the city taking the total count to 48 cases this year. Besides, no new cases of chikungunya reported this week.
According to the data out of these cases, 16 patients who diagnosed with the disease were from different states while five patients did not provide their address.
The malaria parasite is transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes, which bite mainly between dusk and dawn. According to World Health Organisation malaria is caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium. Human malaria is caused by four different species of Plasmodium: P. falciparum, P. malariae, P. ovale and P. vivax.
At least 1322 legal notices were served and 50 prosecutions were launched after vector-carrying mosquitoes were found breeding in 915 houses and building premises
The data further revealed that ‘dengue breeding checkers’ (DBC) have visited 3172896 houses for checking mosquito’s conducive environment till May 4.
However, civic body officials said that preparations to contain the disease have been started. Concerned over the spurt in cases, North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NMC) had called a high-level review meeting on Wednesday to outliner strategy in order to prevent and control such diseases in Delhi.
A senior SDMC official said that the civic body has started spraying insecticides in its areas besides the regarding officials are also planning to adopt a different approach to tackle VBD with Coronavirus.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had chaired a high-level review meeting recently on prevention and control of VBD and stressed on the importance of innovative awareness drives, community participation and cooperation of all the stakeholders in changing the situation of Covid-19 to prevent such diseases.
A senior SDMC official said that all the preventive steps have been taken to reduce the cases. “The key to prevention of Dengue is ensuring there is no clean stagnant water in homes and around, which does not allow the Aedes mosquitoes to breed, and therefore dengue cannot spread,” he said.
Last year only one case of malaria reported in 2019, seven in 2018 and nine in 2017 till the time, according to the data.