MillenniumPost
Delhi

Number of dengue patients crosses 2,200 this season

NEW DELHI: According to a report released by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Monday, the total number of people affected by dengue in the national Capital this season has reached a whopping 2,215, with 485 cases being reported over the last week.
Meanwhile, as of September 16, the number of malaria patients recorded this year reached 865, including 157 recently reported cases.
For chikungunya, the number stands at 472, with 40 new cases reported last week.
The much feared dengue had claimed its first victim in Delhi for this season on August 1, when a 12-year-old boy succumbed to dengue shock syndrome at the Sir Ganga Ram hospital.
Since then, no official casualty from dengue has been reported.
Municipal officials said that the introduction of the innovative and environment-friendly 'dengue-free' cooler has led to checking the spread of the deadly vector-borne disease.
Officials added measures to spread awareness among the people will be taken up at war footing.
"The concept was developed by experts of the health department, after years of research and practical approach to deal with the menace of mosquitoes. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which cause dengue and chikungunya, mostly breed inside desert coolers. So, we have already instructed manufacturers to sell 'dengue-free' cooler. The initiative would help contain the spread of these diseases," a civic official said.
Meanwhile, the National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR) has found two dangerous species of mosquitoes, namely Anopheles stephensi (urban vector) and Anopheles culicifacies (rural vector), circulating this year.
The parasitic infection had reportedly been lying dormant after mutating, but has made a comeback after a gap of five years at a time when Delhi is already reeling under the scourge of dengue and chikungunya.
Experts raised the red flag after the resurgence of the deadly parasite and advised government agencies to take adequate measures in order to arrest the spread of the deadly infectious disease, which can wreak havoc on the health of Delhi's residents.

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