Dengue less severe in ’09, but residents fear civic body laxity

The relatively weak monsoon Delhi experienced this year helped the city cope well with the dengue malaise. Rhythma Kaul reports.

The relatively weak monsoon Delhi experienced this year helped the city cope well with the dengue malaise.

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The total number of cases of the mosquito-borne disease dropped from 1,312 in 2008 to just 112 so far in 2009. Three people have died of dengue in the capital since July. All of them belonged to other states.

While the disease has been less severe this year, the happy fact seems to have prompted the civic agencies — Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) —to sit back and take things lightly.

“There has been no fogging in our locality this year. The greenery all around coupled with puddles of water at places makes our area a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. But this year the civic agency seems lax about things,” said Ranbir Singh, a government employee, who lives at the Rajya Sabha Awas campus near Delhi Haat in South Delhi.

People have making similar complaints from other parts of the city also.

During the last few days, the city has seen a rise in the number of dengue cases. “In our locality itself four people have tested positive for dengue, including my son,” said Solanki. “Yes, we are getting cases of dengue in our hospital. I myself have seen quite a few cases in the last few days,” said senior consultant pediatrics at Indraprastha Apollo hospital, Dr Anupam Sibal.