Thaindian News

New Delhi, Oct 21 (IANS) Delhi recorded 130 cases of dengue until late Tuesday. While officials say that this is the time of the year when an increasing number of people fall prey to the vector-borne disease, the good news is that the number has come down considerably from the last few years.
According to N.K. Yadav, chief medical officer of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the number of dengue cases reported until now in Delhi is almost one-sixth of what it was at this time last year.

“Last year until this period there were 963 cases of dengue in the capital, while this time it has been 130. In fact, this year the number of dengue cases has been the least in the last five-six years. A higher level of awareness is one of the reasons for this,” Yadav told IANS.

“October is the time for dengue cases to rise because the temperature and atmosphere is suitable for mosquitoes to breed,” he added.

Delhi reported its first case of dengue in July this year.

As part of its house-to-house anti-dengue drive, the MCD has prosecutd 4,700 people this year for not paying heed to precautionary measures and allowing mosquitoes to breed.

“Dengue spreads when you allow mosquitoes to breed and they breed in plenty in overhead water tanks, stagnant water in water coolers, potted plants and in uncovered vessels. We have 3,200 members of MCD going from house to house checking on any such cases and have prosecuted 4,700 people this year,” Yadav said.

Once any such case of mosquito breeding is found, medicines are sprayed to treat it, he added.

“We have written a letter to the civic authority, transport, health and education department besides all offices to take preventive measures to check breeding of mosquitoes,” Yadav said.