This story is from April 7, 2021

Mosquito density six times above normal in Delhi

If you have been worried about abnormally high numbers of mosquitoes in and around your house, it is not merely a case of exaggerated perception. A survey conducted to assess mosquito density in south Delhi has detected density levels that are over six times higher than normal for this time of the year.
Mosquito density six times above normal in Delhi
But there’s a good news. The mosquitoes, a senior public health official said, are of the Culex genus and do not cause dengue/malaria.
NEW DELHI: If you have been worried about abnormally high numbers of mosquitoes in and around your house, it is not merely a case of exaggerated perception.
A survey conducted to assess mosquito density in south Delhi has detected density levels that are over six times higher than normal for this time of the year.
The exercise, carried out by South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), has found that West zone has the highest density at 7.2 units (man per hour), followed by Central zone with 6.6 units, South with 5.8 units and Najafgarh with the least at 4.8.

The sampling was carried out in multiple areas, including Tughlaqabad Extension, Neb Sarai, Mahavir Enclave and Hari Nagar.
But there’s a good news. The mosquitoes, a senior public health official said, are of the Culex genus and do not cause dengue/malaria.
Hence, the cases of reported vector-borne diseases still remain low.
“Ideally the mosquito density should be zero to one. But very few mosquitoes are from the genus Anopheles that causes malaria and the genus Aedes causing dengue and chikungunya. The density of Anopheles and Aedes are still around zero,” the official said.

Culex mosquitoes bite and cause skin irritation. In some cases, female Culex mosquitoes cause arbovirus infections such as Japanese encephalitis and filariasis, he added.
An early rise in temperature has led to the sudden spurt while clogged drains and stagnating water have also contributed, said another official. “Mosquitoes become active above 35 degrees Celsius and we have witnessed an unusual early beginning of summer this year,” the official added.
An entomologist of SDMC said that in dense urban areas like Delhi, it was not possible to achieve zero levels, but normally 1-2 man per hour density was observed.
An analysis of one-year mosquito breeding data from three civic bodies shows that peri-domestic containers — money plants, vases, flower pots, bird pots, tin, tyre, fountain water etc — account for the largest chunk — 38% — of breeding sites. Domestic water storage containers, usually used in water-stressed regions, come second at 33%, it reveals. Desert coolers, which find significant usage in Delhi in the summer, and overhead tanks come at the third and fourth spots, respectively. With an early summer, the breeding sites in desert coolers are expected to see a spike.
Vulnerable areas that see overlap of water supply problems and frequent occurrence of mosquito-borne diseases include Aya nagar, Dera Mandi, Jaunapur, Ambedkar Nagar, Sangam Vihar, Mahipalpur, Madangir, Madanpur Khadar, Dakshinpuri and Uttam Nagar.
In a joint inter-departmental meeting on Tuesday, SDMC commissioner Gyanesh Bharti expressed concerns over floating hyacinth in the Yamuna near the Okhla barrage, which is affecting nearby colonies.
All departments concerned agreed to remove hyacinth and desilt drains in a time-bound manner.
The meeting, convened by Bharti, was attended by the district magistrate and senior officials of DDA, irrigation & flood control departments of both Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, DJB, ASI and PWD.
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