169 dengue cases in Delhi so far this year, highest since 2017

New Delhi: Nearly 170 dengue cases have been reported in the national capital this year till July 30, the highest for the period since 2017, according to a civic body report released on Monday.

At least 26 cases of the vector-borne disease were recorded in July, it said, According to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) report, the city recorded 23 dengue cases in January, 16 in February, 22 in March, 20 in April, 30 in May and 32 in June.

The total count of dengue cases reported in the capital this year stands at 169 till July 30.

Till July 25, the city had logged 159 cases. So, 10 fresh cases have been reported in a week, the report stated.

Also, in 2017, Delhi had reported 185 cases during the January 1- July 30 period, it said.

The count of dengue cases reported in Delhi between January 1 and July 30 last year was 52. The corresponding figures were 31 in 2020, 40 in 2019, 56 in 2018, the report said.

No death has been reported so far this year due to the disease, the MCD report said.

Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between July and November, sometimes stretching till mid-December.

Civic officials said dengue cases were being recorded earlier this year due to a weather condition that is congenial for mosquito-breeding.

Last year, 9,613 dengue cases were recorded in the national capital, the highest since 2015, along with 23 deaths, the maximum since 2016.

In 2016, 10 deaths were reported due to dengue. Delhi had recorded two deaths due to dengue in 2019, four in 2018 and 10 in 2017.

According to official data, 4,431 dengue cases were recorded in Delhi in 2016, 4,726 in 2017, 2,798 in 2018, 2,036 in 2019, and 1,072 in 2020.

In 2015, the city had witnessed a massive outbreak of dengue with the number of cases crossing 10,600 in October alone. It was Delhi's worst dengue outbreak since 1996.

Delhi also has reported 33 cases of malaria and nine cases of chikungunya so far this year, the report said.