Over 804 dengue cases reported last week

New Delhi: With 804 fresh cases of dengue reported in the national Capital last week, the total number of patients suffering from the vector-borne disease this year has reached a staggering 4,205, according to the latest report released by South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC).

However, the total number of cases reported last year till November was 7,358.

The SDMC report further stated that 20 new cases of malaria were reported last week, taking the total number of cases to 847 for the year.

According to the report, breeding of mosquitoes has been reported in nearly 2.21 lakh households in the national Capital this year till November 3.

The data was released on Monday by SDMC, on behalf of all three corporations, which are grappling with rising number of cases of vector-borne diseases.

Area-wise, the number of cases of breeding reported was 69,287 in North Delhi Municipal Corporation, 60,421 in East Delhi Municipal Corporation and 91,611 in SDMC.

As per the report, all three corporations have issued 1,77,174 legal notices to various households and establishments after mosquito-genic conditions were found in their houses or premises.

At least 25,211 prosecutions have were issued after breeding was found, the report added.

Meanwhile, health officials of the municipal corporations have said that most breeding activity was detected in waste products left in open.

Domestic breeding of mosquitoes is one of the main reasons for people contracting these diseases, they said.

Concerned over sporadic reports of vector-borne diseases, civic bodies had earlier issued an advisory on prevention and control of vector-borne diseases and called for prevention of breeding at the source.

They also made it clear that taking precaution is the only effective tool for prevention and control of these diseases.

A senior SDMC official said that the civic body has been campaigning to spread awareness among people to not allow stagnation of water in their surroundings.

Dengue and chikungunya are caused by the bite of Aedes agypti mosquito which breeds in clear water, while the female Anopheles mosquito causes malaria and can breed in both fresh and muddy water.

In one of the worst outbreaks, a total of 12,221 chikungunya cases were reported in Delhi in 2016 till December 24, out of which 9,749 were confirmed cases.