The crippling dengue and chikungunya viruses have hit many in the national capital but the dengue cases, which have crossed the 2,100 mark, have begun to plateau unlike last year when 6,775 cases were reported in September alone.
According to a municipal report released today, 2,133 dengue cases have been recorded till 1 October. Of this, 1,362 were reported last month and 441 last week.
At least 21 deaths due to dengue were reported at various hospitals, including nine at AIIMS, though the civic bodies said only four people died of the disease.
South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) compiles the report on vector-borne diseases on behalf of all civic bodies in the city.
Cases Reported
SDMC has recorded 391 cases, the maximum among all regions in the city. North Delhi Municipal Corporation and East Delhi Municipal Corporation registered 218 and 148 cases respectively, according to the report.
Among the areas under North Delhi Municipal Corporation, Sadar Paharganj recorded 23 cases, Rohini (48) and Narela (20), Karol Bagh (29) and City Zone (41) and Civil Lines (57).
According to experts, a "less virulent strain" of dengue virus is in circulation this year compared to the one last year or in 2010 when 6,259 cases and eight deaths were reported by SDMC.
This year, cases have been reported early. In July this year, 91 cases were reported, while six were reported in May and 15 in June.
AIIMS, in a report released on 15 September, said among the dengue and chikungunya patients visiting it, 70 per cent belonged to Uttar Pradesh, 10 per cent to Bihar and the rest to Delhi.
In 2015, the city saw a staggering 15,867 dengue cases – the worst in the last 20 years – with the disease claiming 60 lives, as per municipal reports.
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