Nearly 250 malaria cases in Delhi; 93 in September

New Delhi: The number of malaria cases in Delhi this year has mounted to nearly 250 with at least 93 of those being reported in the first two weeks of September, according to a municipal report released on Monday. This is by far the maximum number of malaria cases recorded in any month this year. The number of dengue cases reported till September 14 stands at 171, according to the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), which tabulates the data on vector-borne diseases in the city. Malaria cases have outstripped those of dengue in Delhi for the past several weeks.

As many as 56 malaria cases were reported in August, 54 in July, 35 in June, eight in May and a single case in April. In September, 79 cases of dengue have been recorded, 52 in August, 18 in July, 11 in June, and rest between January and May, the report said.

According to the report, at least 60 cases of chikungunya have also been reported this year. Last year, 2,798 dengue cases and four deaths were recorded by the SDMC. Both the Delhi government and local bodies have been making efforts to raise awareness on precautions to ensure that there is no breeding of mosquito larvae around them. From public schools to government office premises, 72 institutions have been penalised by civic authorities in north Delhi in nearly the last five months for breeding of mosquito larvae in their premises, officials had earlier said.