Delhi sees 3 more cases of dengue, toll reaches 15
Three more cases of dengue have been reported in the national capital this month, taking the total number in Delhi this year to 15, according to the latest municipal report released today. Fourteen cases of malaria have also been recorded, including 10 this month. Despite the bleak situation, mosquito-inbreeding was found in nearly 20,000 households in the city till May, the report added.
The situation in the capital, in details
There were no dengue cases reported till January 13, but six were seen after that the same month, three in February, one in March and two in April. Vector-borne diseases are generally seen during July-November, but this time, cases started cropping up earlier and are expected to continue till December. Last year, out of 9,271 victims of dengue, at least 10 died.
Weather conditions led to early onset of dengue
"It is important for the temperature to remain below at least 16 degrees for 10 to 15 days at a time for the mosquitoes and the virus to die," explained Dr BK Hazarika, Municipal Health Officer, Delhi. But this year, temperatures remained higher than normal for most of the winter. That helped the Aedes mosquitoes, which spread dengue and chikungunya, to breed.
'No human or animal should be co-existing with garbage': HC
In April, the HC warned if there's a dengue outbreak, it'd impose Section 269 (six-months' imprisonment and/or fine) against erring officials. It noted that officials start working just after a court hearing, but not thereafter and "we are back to square one." Stepping up the heat, the SDMC said 24,084 legal-notices "have been served for mosquito-genic conditions and 1,730 prosecutions have been initiated" this year.
SDMC issues advisory for dengue prevention and control
In an advisory, South Delhi Municipal Corporation Commissioner PK Goel advised citizens to buy air coolers designed by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which prevent mosquito-breeding, instead of the conventional ones. He had urged educational institutions and offices to help keep their areas clean. He also asked heads of offices to nominate nodal officers to ensure compliance with the advisory.
Stay on the lookout for these symptoms
Symptoms of dengue include flu, headache, pain behind eyes, muscle and joint pains, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands and rashes. If any of these symptoms persist even after a week, please don't delay. Consult a doctor immediately and get a blood test done.
