The number of people affected by vector-borne diseases in the Capital is on the rise. Thirty fresh cases of dengue, 20 cases of malaria and 12 cases of chikungunya were reported last week by various hospitals, said a municipal report released on Monday.
The total number of dengue cases has reached 180, while the number of malaria cases has shot up to 230, and chikungunya cases stand at 195, the report said.
Authorities fear the cases may rise as the season for vector-borne diseases begins from mid-July and generally lasts till November-end.
Cases of all the three vector-borne diseases have been reported much earlier this time, which doctors have attributed to early arrival of monsoon.
Of the 230 malaria cases, 116 affected people were residents of Delhi while the rest of the cases diagnosed here were traced to other states. At least 57 cases have been recorded this month.
Of the 195 chikungunya cases, 127 of the affected people were residents of Delhi while the rest of the cases were from other states, the report said.
Forty-three cases of dengue have been reported this month, while 15 were recorded in June.
Dengue and chikungunya are caused by the aedes agypti mosquito, which breeds in clear water. The anopheles mosquito, which causes malaria, can breed in both fresh and muddy water.
Breeding of mosquitoes has been reported in 69,057 households in Delhi, according to the report.
All the three municipal corporations have stepped up awareness drives, distributing pamphlets and plying vehicles with loudspeakers issuing dos and don'ts on prevention of the diseases.
The Delhi government had on 23 June issued instructions to state-run and private hospitals and nursing homes to increase their bed capacity by up to 20 per cent for the next six months to deal with a possible outbreak of dengue and chikungunya.
The government has banned over-the-counter sale of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and brufen as their use may “pose a threat” to dengue and chikungunya patients.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had last month directed the authorities to draw up a comprehensive plan, while civic bodies are trying to combat the menace of mosquito breeding through regular monitoring.
Though the season of vector-borne diseases had ended in December, the city continued to report such cases, prompting authorities to prepare a combat plan.
Six cases of dengue were reported in January, four in February, 11 in March and as many in April.
As many as 4,431 cases of dengue were reported till the end of 2016.
On 13 May, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal chaired a high-level meeting of officers from the three municipal corporations and the Delhi government to discuss plans to eliminate vector-borne diseases in the national capital.
He had also written to Union Health Minister J P Nadda, requesting him to reserve 10 per cent of the beds in Central government-run hospitals for the treatment of dengue and chikungunya patients.