Report says 5,000 dengue cases in Delhi till October 21

NEW DELHI: Even as BJP blames Delhi government and Municipal Corporation of Delhi for not officially disclosing the number of cases of dengue and other vector-borne diseases despite a spurt in incidence, a recent report stated that around 5,000 dengue cases were reported in Delhi till October 21. While the state government did not react to the report, the figure was confirmed by MCD on Wednesday evening.
Till last year, MCD diligently released the report on vector-borne diseases every week.However, from the middle of this year, the process became erratic and the report was shared after a month or so. TOI reported about how the civic body was not disclosing the number of dengue cases.
In comparison with 4,965 dengue cases reported in the city till October 21 this year, only 1,876 cases were reported in 2022, 1,006 in 2021 and 489 in 2020 in the same period, claims the recent report. The dengue cases reported till October 21 included 525 cases in just one week (October 15-21). Overall, 4,469 dengue cases were reported last year, 9,613 in 2021 and 1,072 in 2020.
There has been only one dengue death till now. Last year, there were nine deaths, 23 in 2021 and one in 2020.
The report also said that malaria cases numbered 352 till October 21 against 194 in the same period in 2022, 150 in 2021 and 206 in 2020.
At the NDMC meeting on Wednesday, BJP member Kuljeet Chahal alleged that the AAP-led MCD was hiding data about the relentlessly rising dengue cases in the city.
"While cases of vector-borne infections run into thousands and there are deaths being reported too, these facts are not being shared by MCD," Chahal said. "No measures are being taken to spray insecticides or run awareness campaigns. A majority of the around 70,000 complaints received on the 311 app related to garbage dumps is lying unattended. People want a solution for these issues."
MCD had officially shared the last report on dengue on September 26, in which it said the city had 3,013 dengue cases. According to the October 21 vector-borne diseases report, there were no chikungunya cases in October 15-21, though the total cases reached 29 compared with 38 last year, 73 in 2021 and 74 in 2020.
In the report, MCD claimed to have issued 1,54,218 legal notices for mosquito breeding conditions. In 2022, it only had to send 1,07,099 notices, and 1,27,009 in 2021. The houses found positive for mosquitoes numbered 2,97,074 against 1,51,386 in 2022 and 1,62,349 in 2021.