Delhi: 38 Dengue Cases Reported in 2021; Mosquito-Breeding Found At 334 Construction Sites

Delhi has reported 38 cases of dengue this year. According to a civic report, the number of dengue cases for January 1-July 10 period is also the highest this year since 2018 when the count had stood at 36 in that same duration.

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.

Only two cases have been reported in July, according to the report.

Meanwhile, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), the nodal agency for vector-borne diseases control in Delhi, in a statement issued on Monday said that 1,441 construction sites have been inspected as part of an ongoing drive, and mosquito-breeding was reported at 334 sites.

The public health department took action against owners, contractors of these sites by issuing 160 legal notices and 175 challans, it said.

Prominent construction sites where mosquito-breeding was found, included a L&T construction site at Bhairo Marg, Reliance construction site, Afcon construction site at Sarai Kale Khan, Sahitya Academy at Dwarka Sector 11, a Delhi government dispensary at Dwarka, a Delhi government school in Hari Nagar and Shapoorji Pallonji construction site at ITPO complex, the statement said.

According to the civic report issued by the municipal corporations, 38 cases of dengue have been recorded till July 10.

The month-wise distribution of cases are -- January (0), February (2), March (5), April (10) and May (12), and June (7), it said.

In the previous years, the cases in the same period were -- 39 (2016), 77 (2017), 36 (2018), 27 (2019) and 22 (2020), as per the report.

However, no deaths have been reported due to dengue in the city till now, it said.

According to the civic report released on Monday, 17 cases of malaria and eight cases of chikungunya have also been reported till July 10, this year.

Malaria, dengue and chikungunya are accompanied with high fever and therefore, doctors feel that people might suspect that they have contracted COVID-19. 

With PTI inputs