New health scare overshadows COVID-19 and pollution risks in Delhi

Apart from the devastating second COVID-19 wave and the toxic blanket of smog in 2021, the national capital is also witnessing the worst of the fatal Dengue fever this year. Dengue cases have crossed 7,100 this year and the month of November has alone seen 5,600 cases, a civic report revealed yesterday on November 22. Delhi had recorded 7,128 cases by November 20.

Last week, Delhi crossed 5,277 cases till November 15, making 2021 the worse year since 2015 when a massive outbreak recorded 10,600 cases in the single month of October. Before 2015, Delhi had seen the worst of Dengue back in 1996.

Meanwhile, 1,850 more cases of dengue have been recorded in the last week although there have not been any fresh deaths.

Compared to 2015 and 2021, the dengue numbers in Delhi remains relatively less in the last three years. While 2016 and 2017 saw 4431 and 4726 infections respectively, the number of cases steadily declined from 2798 in 2018 to 2036 in 2019 and 1072 in 2020, the report stated.

A notice has been issued by the Delhi High Court to the state government and North Delhi Municipal Corporation for an action plan to bring the ongoing dengue outbreak under control.

A high-level team has also been sent by the centre to aid in public health measures in Delhi.

However, the government expects to control dengue in Delhi in the next 7-10 days as weather conditions change. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recently said, “Dengue cases have increased this time. We are keeping a check on it and doing everything needed. The weather's changing and I hope dengue cases get controlled within the next 7-10 days.”