Erratic monsoon causes rise in dengue cases

The abnormal rise in dengue cases this season in Delhi and its adjoining areas can be blamed on the long and erratic rain pattern.

On Wednesday, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) reported 19 new cases. With that, the toll has risen to 294.

“This year, the monsoons started somewhere around the month of May and is still continuing. This is not a common phenomenon and mosquitoes have got a conducive environment to breed all through this season,” said Dr N.K. Yadav, medical health officer, MCD.

“Usually what happens is that with the changing season, mosquitoes die their natural death, but this season, with the same climate continuing for more than five months, it has given mosquitoes time to multiply,” he added.

The civic agency admits most of the residential and commercial areas in the city have turned out to be a perfect breeding ground for dengue causing mosquitoes.

“The unhygienic conditions that people live in are another reason for the growth of the dengue mosquito,” Yadav said.

The figure of dengue cases reported so far has doubled in the capital as compared to the figures of last three years.

The MCD has intensified its anti-dengue drive and people found violating norms will be severely punished, officials said.

In Gurgaon, the district magistrate has directed all civic and development agencies to hasten work on developmental projects to stop waterlogging in the trenches dug for construction.

As in Delhi, sporadic rains coupled with waterlogging are driving the outbreak in Gurgaon, which has 548 confirmed cases.

Unlike last year, the majority of dengue cases reported this year are from posh localities such as DLF City, South City, Sushant Lok, Palam Vihar and other upmarket HUDA sectors.

“It had not been raining for many days and the rate of dengue cases being reported had come down within controllable limit. But if it rains again as it did today, we might experience more cases of dengue fever in the city,” said district Malaria officer, Dr Krishan Kumar.