Delhi: 12 cases of dengue reported, SDMC issues advisory

New Delhi: At least 12 cases of dengue have been reported in Delhi so far this year, including two in the first week of April, indicating early spread of the vector-borne disease in the national capital. Of all the cases reported till April 7, six were recorded in January, three in February and one last month, according to the latest municipal report released. The cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between mid-July and November-end, but this period may stretch up to mid-December. "Three cases each of malaria and chikungunya, have been reported, while in January none of the cases of both the diseases were reported," according to the report. There were no cases of any vector-borne disease till January 13. Meanwhile, Commissioner of the SDMC P K Goel issued an advisory on prevention and control of vector-borne diseases in Delhi. He urged the heads of educational institutions and offices to cooperate in checking mosquito breeding in their areas. Various agencies in the health sector have reported mosquito-breeding in different parts of Delhi and have also expressed "deep concern" over this, the SDMC said in a statement. The commissioner has requested the heads of all educational institutions and offices to ensure that overhead and other water tanks and containers are kept properly covered with lid and pipes or air vents are covered with wire mesh. The commissioner also advised people to buy coolers designed by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC ), which prevents mosquito-breeding, instead of conventional desert coolers. He also asked heads of various offices to nominate nodal officer to ensure compliance of advisory and proper prevention. At least 10 people had died in Delhi due to dengue last year, according to the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), which tabulates data for the entire city. Five of the 10 victims were not Delhi residents, but had died in the national capital. Overall, the vector-borne disease had affected 9,271 people in the city in 2017. The official toll maintained by the Delhi municipal authorities till December 26 had stood at four, even though some hospitals had reported a few more deaths due to dengue. The mosquito-borne tropical disease had claimed its first victim in the city last year on August 1, when a 12-year-old boy died of dengue shock syndromes at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH). Three more deaths were reported in October by the SDMC. The numbers of malaria and chikungunya cases recorded in 2017 stood at 1,142 and 940, respectively. Of the 9,271 dengue cases, 4,726 patients were from Delhi, while 4,545 had come to the city from other states for treatment, according to the SDMC. In 2016, at least 21 dengue deaths were reported from various city hospitals, including nine at the AIIMS, though the official figure of the civic bodies was 10. Seventeen deaths, suspected to be due to malaria, were also reported by the civic bodies in 2016. At least 15 fatalities were also reported from various city hospitals due to complications triggered by chikungunya, though the civic authorities had kept the death tally at zero.