After the first spell of monsoon flooded many areas, the receding Yamuna is leaving behind a trail of water-borne diseases.
Experts have warned against dengue and malaria since stagnant water accumulated in low-lying regions is bound to breed mosquitoes. New Ashok Nagar, Mayur Vihar, Okhla, Ganesh Nagar, lalita Park, Geeta Colony, Kailash Nagar, Wazirabad and Timarpura are particularly vulnerable.
“Water-logging breeds insects, increasing the risk of vector-borne diseases. This year, the rain was received at some parts in larger quantity and makes them prone. It is impossible to completely control our surroundings but precautions should be taken,” said Sushum Sharma, head of the department of internal medicine at Max Hospital, Gurgaon. Sharma pointed out the Aedes mosquito, which carry dengue, breed in clean water too.
North Delhi Municipal Corporation Commissioner PK Gupta agreed that diseases are expected to rise and said NMC would soon start a campaign to make people aware of precautions. “The rains have just come and now we will start the process of issuing advertisements, hand bills and radio publicity to make the citizens aware. Fumigation is on. House-to-house checking of mosquito breeding is also being looked after. Till now, there has been no major outbreak,” Gupta said.
“We have started fumigating several locations every evening where makeshift camps are set up, to ensure there is no mosquito breeding,” said Dharam Pal, Divisional Commissioner (Revenue Department). He added that mobile dispensaries were distributing medicines.
Doctors suggest the usual precautions. “Apply mosquito repellent cream. Aedes mosquitoes don’t fly very high, so parts of foot and lower parts of body are where they attack,” said Navneet Kaur, internal medicine specialist at Nova Specialty Surgery. Fever should not be taken lightly and self-medication avoided.
Six malaria cases have been reported in Delhi in June, while 13 cases were recorded in May. Seven cases of dengue have been reported this season. In 2012, 2,093 cases of dengue were reported in Delhi.