Capital’s climate condition has triggered the vector-borne diseases as environment experts said higher temperature, rainfall and humidity are food for vector-borne diseases.
Approximately 33 people have died due to chikungunya and dengue in the city. Delhi’s climate with high temperature and rainfall prediction is more suitable for mosquitoes breeding. While the weather forecast of Indian Metrological Department (IMD) is low rainfall on September 21 and 22 whereas no fluctuations in maximum and minimum temperature has recorded. “Throughout the week, city’s maximum temperature will remain at 36 degree Celsius,” stated IMD.
With the national Capital reeling under worst ever chikungunya outbreak, the menace of vector-borne diseases is unlikely to fade away after low humidity-level sets in the city’s atmosphere. However, as per IMD’s prediction, hot and humid conditions, which are most favourable for mosquito growth and survival, are expected to continue in New Delhi for at least two more weeks.
In its weekly weather report, IMD said the city will witness moderate rainfall in midweek. According to IMD, monsoon is expected to recede by September 17 and with that the humidity level will start decreasing.
Environmentalists said a heavy downpour will help the residents of the national Capital but light showers will bring in more miseries. light showers can shoot up amount of moisture in city’s air giving favourable breeding conditions to mosquitoes.
About 3,000 cases of chikungunya and dengue have been recorded so far. The cases are likely to spiral as the Aedes aegypti mosquito which breeds during the rain continues to reproduce and add to its numbers usually till the winter months, experts said.
Conditions like stagnant water and damp weather, seen during and after the monsoon are ideal for the virus to grow and proliferate, said experts. The vector mosquitoes grow in numbers in these conditions. So, dengue cases see a sharp spike in the months immediately after the monsoon, in this instance, late August and September
As no approved vaccine exists, the most effective means of prevention are controlling mosquito populations by limiting their habitat. However, with failure of municipal corporations to control mosquito breeding, residents have to protect themselves from mosquito bites, said experts.
Dr SK Sharma, who heads the Internal Medicine department at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said, “Rain has escalated outbreak of vector-borne diseases. The changes in climatic conditions, sultry weather, and poor drainage system have also contributed to the situation. People should not panic as chikungunya is not a life-threatening disease like dengue.”
“Although it is difficult to say that environmental factors are becoming the main source of vector-borne diseases but rain in past week in low line areas of city has created good breeding environment for mosquitoes,” said a scientist.
He added that the weather factor which may inhibit the activity of mosquitoes is the heat and they like humid weather. “Frequent rain may wash larva but rise in humidity in atmosphere is favourable for them,” he added.