Mercury dips,so does dengue count

Authorities are yet to verify her blood tests to get a confirmed diagnosis. Six people have succumbed to the virus this year,including another six-year-old girl who died at Safdarjung hospital on September 24. Seven others who died with symptoms of dengue but tested positive for antigen or antibody tests through the rapid diagnostic kits,have been notified as “suspected dengue deaths” by the civic agencies.

With temperatures dipping,health department officials expect cases of dengue to start declining.

“As rains stop,and temperatures start dropping,mosquito breeding ceases,and so does the spread of the dengue virus. In the last two weeks,we have not seen any rains,so cases have come down considerably. Intermittent rains over the past few months kept the dengue cases coming in,” an official from the South Municipal Corporation explained.

According to the corporations,2,000 cases were reported in October alone,with 48 patients from neighbouring states being admitted to hospitals in Delhi.

With 1,876 cases,the North Municipal Corporation has recorded the highest count from the viral disease,followed by the South corporation,which has recorded 1,298 cases. The count is 1,061 for areas under East corporation. Rohini Zone,with 841 cases,has seen the highest number of dengue cases in a single zone,with one confirmed and two suspected deaths being recorded in the area.

Officials say if patients who are testing positive through rapid tests are considered,the total count may increase 2-3 times. “These kits give a lot of false positives. According to guidelines issued by the Centre,we have been asked to take only ELISA tests into account,” a municipal health official said explained.

Meanwhile,cases of malaria have dipped,with only 26 cases this month against 62 in September.

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