Delhi: 10 more dengue cases this week, tally rises to 33 this year

Of the 33 dengue cases reported this year, four were found in North MCD areas, five under South MCD, three in East MCD and addresses of 21 remain untraced

Delhi reported 10 more dengue cases in the first week of February (till February 5), taking the infection tally to 33 this year -- a marked spike from a case each reported in the corresponding period in 2021 and 2019, and two cases recorded in 2020.

The corporations have recovered fines worth ₹31,800 in 121 cases with maximum penalty being imposed in the central zone (60 cases) and the south zone (50 cases). (HT Archive)

According to the weekly vector borne disease report issued by the three municipal corporations on Monday, of the 33 dengue cases reported this year, four were found in North MCD areas, five under South MCD, three in East MCD and addresses of 21 remain untraced. The report also recorded two chikungunya cases though no instances of malaria were recorded in Delhi.

Delhi recorded 9,613 dengue cases and 23 fatalities in 2021, making it the second worst annual outbreak on record after 2015 when the Capital saw 60 deaths and 15,867 infections due to the virus. Between the two years, Delhi saw 4,431 dengue cases in 2016; 4,726 cases in 2017; 2,798 cases in 2018; 2,036 cases in 2019; and 1,072 cases in 2020, as per the vector borne diseases report.

Delhi has been reporting an unusual streak of dengue cases in winter this year which the public health department has attributed to better disease surveillance due to the infection being declared notifiable disease in October last year.

The action taken report of the civic bodies states that they have detected mosquito breeding spots in 407 properties this year, which is also higher in comparison to 2021 (102 properties) and 2019 (74 properties).

“We have issued 506 legal notices due to presence of mosquitogenic conditions and stagnant water conditions in the premises. Of this, 459 notices were issued by South MCD, 10 by North MCD and 37 by the East MCD. Prosecution has been launched in 32 cases,” said an SDMC official from SDMC.

The corporations have recovered fines worth ₹31,800 in 121 cases with maximum penalty being imposed in the central zone (60 cases) and the south zone (50 cases).

Delhi high court has already directed authorities in Delhi to increase the fine amount. “Currently, we can levy ₹500 as fine for mosquitogenic conditions and detection of larvae in stagnant water. We can also add the cost of insecticides used on the premises to control vector borne diseases,” the official said.

The civic bodies are yet to issue the new building norms for making new construction sites and properties mosquito proof.