Dengue cases climbs to 1,226 in national capital

With 71 fresh cases surfacing Saturday, the total number of dengue cases in the city went up to 1,226.

According to official sources, out of the total cases so far, 1,061 have been reported from Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) areas and 125 from New Delhi Municipal Committee (NDMC) areas.

The remaining cases have emerged from other parts of the city while some are from some outstation. The total number of deaths due to dengue has been three this season.

The south zone is the hardest hit accounting for 205 cases followed closely by the central zone which reported 176 cases.

In addition, the Civil Lines and Rohini Zones have reported 144 and 126 infections respectively.

Comparison with previous years
What is cause for concern is that in comparison to previous years, the number of infections this year has crossed the 1,000 mark within three months when even in years which were the worst for the disease the 1,000-mark was attained only at the fag end of the season.

According to statistics released by the MCD, the number of cases till August end in 2009 was only 12 while the infections were 136 and 24 in the same periods in 2008 and 2007 respectively.

The total number of dengue cases and deaths were 1,312 and 2 (2008), 548 and 1 (2007) and 3,366 and 36 (2006).

Affluent areas conducive for mosquito breeding
What is baffling the civic authorities is that besides the unauthorized colonies and low-lying areas of the capital, affluent regions and establishments have been found to be conducive for mosquito breeding.

Directorate of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), the department that implements anti-larval measures in Delhi, detected 40 percent of the total breeding sites in posh south and central Delhi colonies.

In addition, breeding grounds have been uncovered in areas such as Delhi Cantonment, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Yusuf Sarai, Vasant Vihar, and Vasant Kunj.

Also, the Delhi cantonment region is bearing the brunt of the dengue attack with the larvae detected in about 25 percent of the places inspected.

Escorts Hospital, Apollo, Fortis, Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute - Sheikh Sarai-II, some government hospitals, GB Pant, Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) have been challaned by the MCD because large scale mosquito breeding was found on their premises.

Massive cleaning campaign underway
Following a high level review meeting by the Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on 3rd September, 2010, massive cleaning up campaign to tackle the dengue menace will begin from Monday.

The MCD and the NDMC will start spraying operations for killing of larva in all stagnant pools of water in public places.

Besides, the two civic agencies, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) have been asked to inspect the roof water tanks of all multi-storey buildings and colonies, to ensure that they are covered with a lid and all coolers, flower pots and other containers are free from the pesky insects.

Meanwhile, the top government authorities will hold meetings with the medical officers/doctors in hospitals and clinics to arrange for proper diagnosis and management of all dengue cases.

The Union Health Minister has issued an appeal to the citizens of Delhi to fully cooperate with civic agencies in carrying out measures to arrest the rate infections.