New Delhi sees three more dengue deaths; toll reaches nine this year

The Delhi govt in mid-October made all vector-borne diseases such as dengue, malaria and chikungunya notifiable, meaning all hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres have to mandatorily report the cases

Three more deaths due to dengue have been reported in New Delhi, taking this year’s toll to nine, according to a weekly report released by the municipal corporations on Monday. With 1,171 new cases added to the tally in the week ending November 6, New Delhi’s total caseload has crossed the 2,000-mark.

New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) personnel during fumigation of the Gol Market area amid rising dengue cases in New Delhi. (Hindustan Times/ File)

The capital reported 2,708 cases of dengue till November 6.

The tally is now inching close to the number of cases in 2018 - 2,798. The toll is inching close to the one in 2017 - 10.

In 2015, New Delhi reported the worst dengue outbreak that affected nearly 16,000 people and killed 60.

There was only one dengue death in New Delhi last year, two in 2019 and four in 2018, according to official data.

Last week, five deaths were added to the tally after an investigation by a death audit committee. The committee received reports of 34 deaths in September and October, of which most were from neighbouring states. Nine of these deaths were still to be investigated by the committee and are likely the ones that have now been added.

With dengue cases on the rise, the Delhi government in mid-October made all vector-borne diseases such as dengue, malaria, and chikungunya notifiable, meaning all hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres have to mandatorily report the cases. This was a long pending decision, with the capital aiming to eliminate malaria in 2022.

Delhi government officials said they were using the provisions of new notification to ask hospitals for data on all fever cases along with hospital beds available for them to ascertain the availability of beds and the need for escalation.