Delhi sees slight rise in malaria cases this year

Since cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between July and November, doctors have advised people to take precautionary measures to ensure there is no breeding of mosquito larvae.

“Mostly, cases of vector-borne diseases go up after September due to seasonal transitions. But continuous efforts by doctors and the government to spread awareness about the disease has also led to better reporting of cases,” said Dr S P Byotra, senior consultant, internal medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

Mosquito-breeding has been reported in at least 1,19,852 households and 99,448 legal notices have been issued this year. Last year, 473 cases of malaria and 165 cases of chikungunya were reported.

The SDMC is also working towards declaring malaria a ‘notifiable disease’ in Delhi. A notifiable disease is one that is required by law to be reported to authorities. The collation of information allows authorities to monitor the disease and provide early warning of possible outbreaks.