NEW DELHI: Delhi has seen a drop in dengue cases so far this year, but malaria infections continue to mirror the last year’s trend.
As of November 15, Delhi reported 1,257 dengue cases, marking a clear decline from the 4,533 cases that were found during the same period last year. On the other hand, malaria cases stood at 671, slightly lower than the 728 malaria cases that were logged during the same period in 2024.
Latest data released by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) pointed out that the number of dengue cases saw a steeper drop from the 6,523 cases recorded by mid-November 2023. Additionally, the number of deaths attributed to dengue has also reduced, with only two deaths being reported so far. This is far less than the 11 reported last year and 19 in 2023.
Speaking to the newspaper regarding the dip in dengue cases, Dr Manisha Arora, Director Internal Medicine at CK Birla Hospital, said, “I personally feel the public awareness is increasing and people are taking care of their homes. This has contributed largely to the drop in cases this year.”
She also pointed out the role of MCD and how they are carrying out door-to-door inspection and spreading awareness, as a key factor behind the dip.
Monthly data highlights that dengue cases remained subdued through the monsoon and post-monsoon periods, with October recording only 208 cases this year against 377 last year and 2,003 in 2023.
In contrast, malaria trends present a mixed picture. Delhi has recorded 671 malaria cases up to November 15, only slightly lower than the 728 cases reported during the same period last year.
This dip breaks the upward curve seen in 2024 but the numbers remain significantly higher than those recorded between 2021 and 2023, when annual infections stood between 166 and 366. No deaths have been reported due to malaria this year.
According to Dr Arora, in order to ensure that malaria cases show a visible drop, the government has to be prepared to handle water logging better. “We have to focus on the anti-larval measures, breeding violations and have to be more strong in giving the notices and making people more aware”, she added.