The Epinhood (TEH)

VECTOR BORNE DISEASES – INDIA (04): (DELHI) UPDATE

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Date: Tue 25 Jul 2023 07:08 IST
Source: The Times of India (TOI), Times News Network (TNN) [edited] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/dengue-cases-see-uptick-in-comparison-to-last-year/articleshow/102092491.cms

The 1st 7 months of 2023 have seen an uptick in dengue cases in the
city [Delhi] compared to the corresponding period last year [2022],
according to MCD [Municipal Corporation of Delhi] data.

Between [1 Jan and 22 Jul 2023], Delhi has reported 187 cases of the
infection. The early trends suggest that after a gap of 5 years,
dengue cases are on the higher side. During the same period, the city
reported 49 cases in 2018, 34 in 2019, 28 in 2020, 47 in 2021, and 159
in 2022. Overall, the highest cases in a year were reported in 2021,
at 9613.

Though the dengue fatality rate has remained low in the past few
years, experts said the risk cannot be ignored. They noted that a
person has a higher chance of being infected with dengue for a 2nd
time as a new strain can attack the body again and lead to the
development of serious symptoms.

“If a new strain attacks the body, one can develop serious symptoms.
It is called antibody-dependent enhancement. The same strain is
unlikely to affect the same person. It’s not a contagious or airborne
disease and the best way to avoid it is by keeping the neighbourhood
clean and free of stagnant water,” said Dr Ashutosh Biswas, director,
AIIMS [All India Institute of Medical Sciences] Bhubaneswar.

This year [2023], Delhi faces higher chances of a spike in
vector-borne diseases. While the floodwaters have receded, experts
have warned that they may remain stored in certain areas, making them
breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

In the past week, the city has reported 19 new malaria cases, taking
the tally as of [22 Jun 2023] to 65. The corresponding figures for the
[1 Jan-22 Jul] period in 2020, 2021, and 2022 were 40, 20, and 33,
respectively, suggesting that the overall number of cases this time
may be higher.

Delhi government, meanwhile, has been taking precautionary measures to
avert a surge in vector-borne diseases. Health Minister Saurabh
Bhardwaj has held meetings with stakeholders, including civic bodies
and the education department. While MCD is planning to deploy drones
for surveillance, schools have been asked to instruct students to wear
full-sleeve clothes until November to avoid mosquito bites.