A total of 163 dengue cases have been reported till July 15 this year, as compared to the same period in 2022 and 2021 when 158 and 40 cases respectively were reported. As per data provided by MCD officials, 39 cases were reported in the last one week alone. Of these, two patients were from outside Delhi and in 10 cases, the address was not provided by hospitals. No fatality has been reported so far, as per data. Apart from dengue, 14 cases of chikungunya and 54 cases of malaria have also been reported. Amid fears of a dengue and malaria outbreak due to waterlogging in several areas, Mayor Shelly Oberoi Monday said directions have been issued to departments concerned to take steps to check mosquito breeding and clear silt and sludge left behind by the Yamuna. She said several areas were waterlogged, but flood waters have started receding in several areas. “Now, it is a matter of concern that due to the flood, there is a possibility of more cases of dengue and malaria in comparison to last year… Instructions have been issued to all departments concerned to clean garbage and silt, and launch a drive to control mosquito breeding,” she told reporters. Doctors, meanwhile, said there is no cause for alarm at present. According to Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine at Apollo Indraprastha Hospital, he has not seen many dengue cases so far and only a couple of people have been admitted and their symptoms are common. “Fever, nausea, vomiting, pain etc are the symptoms in the patients that I have seen. It would be too early to call it a panic situation, but there can be more cases considering the flood,” he added. At Lok Nayak, three patients were hospitalised on Monday with fever. “These patients came to our hospital a couple of days ago and their symptoms are not very serious. They have fever and vomiting,” said Dr Suresh Kumar, medical director at the hospital. Earlier in the day, Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said all Delhi government departments have been instructed to constantly monitor the situation in the aftermath of the flood, adding that East and Northeast Delhi have largely been impacted. He also said cases of conjunctivitis and skin allergy are mostly being reported from relief camps set up for flood-hit families.
