With the municipal corporation confirming 1,473 fresh chikungunya cases in the last one week, a record 6,712 people have been afflicted by the vector-borne disease in the national Capital this year so far. On the other hand, 578 dengue cases were reported in the last one week taking the total number of cases to 2,711 this year.
According to the civic body report released on Monday, out of 8,456 suspected cases of chikunguyna, 6,712 cases had been confirmed positive this year. last year, Delhi had reported only 64 chikungunya cases. This year the case of chikungunya registered an alarming increase, a municipal official said.
Nearly 5,300 cases were reported in the city till October 1, according to South
Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), which tabulates the data for vector-borne disease cases in Delhi on behalf of all the civic bodies here.
Out of the total cases recorded till October 8, nearly 620 of them have been reported in areas falling under the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), said the official.
The vector-borne disease claimed 15 lives.
Health experts say that it will take two more weeks for Delhiites to breathe a sigh of relief as the virus that causes dengue and chikungunya cannot survive in cold conditions.
Dr KK Aggarwal, National President (Elect) of Indian Medical Association said that since winter is going to set in, the number of dengue and chikungunya cases will reduce substantially and till Diwali it will be over. “During winter, real cause of worry for the city residents will be air pollution and influenza cases,” he added.
Dr Atul Kakar, head of department of Internal Medicine at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said, “The chikungunya cases reached epidemic proportions after a gap of ten years with their numbers at all time high. As of now, numbers of cases have started to reduce.”
Doctors noted the symptoms of chikungunya are similar to dengue, but, chikungunya is generally not “life-threatening” but in rare cases can trigger complications which prove fatal, especially among elderly and children.
This chinkungunya claimed 15 lives in Delhi.
last year, the city saw a staggering 15,867 dengue cases - the worst in the last 20 years - with the disease claiming 60 lives, as per municipal reports.