NEW DELHI: As monsoon extends its march in the national capital, there is a noticeable surge in cases of vector borne diseases.
So far, 31 malaria cases have been reported in July. Nine of these cases were reported over the last week, civic body officials said. As many as 35 malaria cases were reported last month. The city has also reported 32 dengue cases, with 10 cases surfacing this month itself. Five fresh cases have been reported, so far, this month.
Chikungunya cases, too, have show a surge, with five new cases reported in the city. Overall, the city has recorded 19 chikungunya cases so far. Last year, 2,798 dengue cases and four deaths were recorded by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation.
The civic body claimed that the health department and agencies are taking routine precautionary measures to keep a check on cases of vector-borne diseases. However, the South, North and East civic bodies have been hamstrung in their effort to run their vector awareness campaign in the face of a crippling fund crunch.
A senior SDMC official said funds recently allotted by the Delhi government will be used to release the pending wages of the civic staff after which, it will start the process of procuring items for the vector drive. “As of now, all hospitals have adequate stocks of medicine, blood and fluids. We will ensure that there is no shortage,” another official said.