Over 5,000 dengue cases in Delhi, more than 352 of malaria

New Delhi: More than 5,000 cases of dengue had been reported in Delhi till mid-September this year, according to the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC).

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has not shared any recent data on vector-borne diseases in the national capital. The MCD's last weekly report on vector-borne diseases was released in the first week of August.

MCD sources said on Thursday that nearly 5,000 cases of dengue have been recorded in the city so far this year.

According to data on the official website of the NCVBDC, which comes under the Union health ministry, 5,221 cases of dengue and one death due to the disease had been recorded in Delhi till mid-September this year.

Mayor Shelly Oberoi held a review meeting on vector-borne diseases with the Public Health Department officials of the MCD at the Civic Centre on Thursday, her office said in a statement.

During the meeting, officials informed Oberoi that all necessary steps are being taken on a "war footing" to check the spread of dengue and other vector-borne diseases and the situation in Delhi is "under control", the statement said.

The statement said malaria is completely under control in Delhi.

It said 352 cases of malaria have been reported in Delhi so far this year.

There has been a significant reduction in chikungunya cases in Delhi, according to the statement.

A total of 129 cases of chikungunya were reported till October 21 in 2018, 132 in 2019, 74 in 2020, 73 in 2021 and 38 in 2022. Only 29 cases have been reported so far this year, it said.

Due to the efforts of the MCD, mosquito larvae breeding has also "reduced significantly" in Delhi, the statement said.

Indoor and outdoor fogging is being done using more than 1,000 machines across 250 wards of Delhi. The MCD is checking mosquito larvae breeding at more than 1.5 lakh places every day and notices and challans are being issued, it said.

Mayor Oberoi said the MCD is dealing with vector-borne diseases with full force and dengue cases will be reduced in the coming 15 days, according to the statement.