Delhi reports 31 cases of dengue much ahead of season of vector-borne disease

Dengue mosquito larvae breed in clear, standing water, while those of malaria thrive even in dirty water. Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between July and November, but the period may stretch till mid-December.

Health officials in the civic body believe rains to be the cause of the early outbreak as there is accumulation of water and a dip in temperature following showers.

However, no deaths have been reported till now, the official added.

South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has issued 625 challan and 2,580 legal notices to various establishments after finding mosquito-breeding grounds in their premises. SDMC Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti has asked health officials to take all steps necessary to stop mosquito breeding ahead of monsoon.

Bharti said that mosquito breeding takes place in waste articles like desert coolers, pots, tyres, etc when water gets filled. “Preventing the breeding is an effective way to control vector-borne diseases,” he added.

The commissioner also directed officials to step up work to remove silt from drains so that anti-larval/insecticidal spray can be used. “Focus should also be on checking mosquito breeding at construction sites, government offices, hospitals, police stations, DTS bus depots, fire stations and education institutions. Besides, solid waste should be removed from the parks while waterfalls and fountains need to be kept dry to prevent water collection,” he added.

The civic report released on Monday stated that 10 cases of malaria and five cases of chikungunya have also been reported.

To stop mosquito breeding, the public health department of SDMC has also contacted 1,157 RWAs and sent five lakh awareness messages to the citizens. Workers have also conducted checks at 18,69,259 households.