With 57 cases of malaria reported this month, number of people affected by the vector-borne disease in the city this year has risen to 230. While the number of dengue and chikungunya cases recorded since January were 180 and 195 respectively till July 22, according to the status report of municipal Corporations released on Monday.
Authorities fear that the number of cases may rise as the season for the vector-borne diseases begins from mid-July and generally lasts till November-end.
Of the 230 malaria cases, 116 affected people were residents of Delhi while the rest of the cases diagnosed here were traced to other States. Of the 195 chikungunya cases, 127 of the affected people were residents of Delhi while the rest of the cases were from other states, the release said.
43 cases of dengue have been reported this month with 30 fresh cases reported last week, while 15 were recorded in June. Cases of all the three vector-borne diseases have been reported much earlier this time, which doctors have attributed to early arrival of monsoon.
A senior Corporation official said that the SDMC's public health department has intensified IEC (Information, Education and Communication) activities to check the menace.
Breeding of mosquitoes have been reported at 69,057 households in Delhi till now, according to the report.
Intensifying its efforts to keep the menace under check, all three municipal corporations have stepped up awareness drive, including through distribution of pamphlets and plying of vehicles carrying loudspeakers, issuing dos and don'ts on prevention of vector-borne diseases.
A senior SDMC official said, “It has been decided to intensify checking of mosquitoes breeding at big establishments, institutions and offices. Wherever the breeding will be noticed an appropriate action will be taken. The public health cannot be overlooked hence, all possible steps will be taken to prevent and control dengue and malaria.”