New Delhi, (Asian independent) A total of nine persons have succumbed to dengue in the national capital so far, while the number of cases in Delhi has climbed to 2,708.
A total of three deaths from the vector-borne disease were reported in the last week alone. Of the 2,708 cases of dengue reported so far in the city, 1,171 have been reported this month till November 6.
The civic authorities informed on Monday that a total 1,171 dengue cases have been reported in the national capital in the past one week, taking Delhi’s total tally to 2,708 so far this year.
The nine deaths are the highest number of dengue deaths recorded in a year in the capital city since 2017, when the cumulative death count officially reported was 10, said a civic body report.
The first dengue death this year was reported on October 18.
Along with dengue, 160 cases of malaria and 81 cases of chikungunya have also been reported till October 30 in Delhi.
The national capital had witnessed a massive dengue outbreak in 2015 when the caseload crossed 10,000, the worst since 1996.
The total dengue cases reported in the subsequent years were — 4,431 in 2016, 4,726 in 2017, 2,798 in 2018, 2,036 in 2019 and 1,072 in 2020, according to the report.
Amid the spike in dengue cases, all the three civic bodies have accelerated their fogging and spraying drives against the vector-borne disease.
The dengue season begins post-monsoon and continues till the onset of winter. South Delhi Municipal Corporation is the nodal agency for data on vector-borne diseases in the city.