Nine dengue cases reported

New Delhi, March 5

At least nine cases of dengue have been reported in Delhi in the first two months this year, indicating early spread of the virus carrying the vector-borne disease in the capital.

Of the nine reported cases till March 3, six were recorded in January and three in February, according to a municipal report released today.

The cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between mid-July and November-end, but this period may stretch up to mid-December.

"Two cases of malaria and three cases of chikungunya, both in February, have been reported, while in January none of the cases of both the diseases have been reported," as per the report.

There were no cases of any vector-borne disease till January 13.

At least 10 died in Delhi due to dengue last year, according to the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), which tabulates the data for the entire city.

Five of the 10 victims were not Delhi residents, but had died in the capital.

The official toll maintained by the Delhi municipal authorities till December 26 had stood at four, even though some hospitals had reported a few more deaths due to dengue.

The vector-borne disease had affected 9,271 people here in 2017, out of which, .4,726 patients were from Delhi, while 4,545 had come to the city from other states for treatment, as per the SDMC.

The mosquito-borne tropical disease had claimed its first victim in the city last year on August 1, when a 12-year-old boy died of dengue shock syndromes at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

Three more deaths were reported in October by the SDMC.

The numbers of malaria and chikungunya cases recorded in 2017 in the capital stood at 1,142 and 940 respectively. – PTI