Sigh of relief for Delhi as chikungunya, dengue cases at half of last week

In the week ending October 15, Delhi-NCR reported 713 chikungunya cases, down from 1,419 over the week ending October 8.

New cases of chikungunya and dengue almost halved last week compared to the week before, data released by the capital’s civic body showed on Monday.

In the week ending October 15, Delhi-NCR reported 713 chikungunya cases, down from 1,419 over the week ending October 8.(Arun Sharma/HT File Photo)

The new numbers will come as a relief to the AAP government battling the biggest outbreak of chikungunya, a mosquito-borne disease that causes debilitating joint pain, and an equally crippling dengue flare-up.

Data from the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) showed that in the week ending October 15, Delhi-NCR reported 713 chikungunya cases, down from 1,419 over the week ending October 8. With confirmed 7,425 cases, the city-state recorded its biggest ever chikungunya outbreak in 2016.

Though dengue registers its annual peak in October each year, new cases dropped to 298 from 578 in the week ending October 8.

Dengue cases were still going up in the same period in 2015, with 1,848 cases being reported during the same period.

Over the past fortnight, hospitals and diagnostic centres across the city have registered a 40-50% decline in fever cases, an official said.

“But we can say that the annual cycle of mosquito-borne illnesses have ended only after the temperature drops below 16°C for five to seven days,” said Srikant Sharma, senior consulting physician in Moolchand hospital.

The state government had faced allegations of insensitivity after refusing to attribute the death of several people to chikungunya despite confirmation by experts.