Total number of cases so far 63

NEW DELHI: Three new dengue cases were reported in the Capital on Tuesday taking the total number of cases so far this season to 63.

Admitting the seriousness of the situation, Deputy Leader of MCD House Ved Prakash Gupta said: "The possibility of spread of dengue has increased this year because of increased mosquito breeding compared with last year. Most colonies have recorded high-density mosquito breeding.'

Aarti Dhar

NEW DELHI: The country is in the grip of a severe spell of communicable diseases, with over 270 people having died of malaria and 15 of dengue. Chikungunya cases have also increased over last year's figures.

The government says it is prepared to deal with any adverse situation.

"We have revamped our Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme and are focussing on endemic districts. The budgetary allocation for dealing with these diseases has also been enhanced,' Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss told The Hindu on Monday.

60 Confirmed Cases In Delhi, 213 In Gurgaon; MCD To Challan Defaulters

New Delhi: A sharp rise in the number of dengue cases in Delhi and its neighbouring areas has set the alarm bells ringing. Till August 25, 60 confirmed cases of dengue have been reported from Delhi and 213 from Gurgaon, including two deaths.
This is more than three times the number of cases reported during dengue outbreak in 2006 for the same period. In 2007, just 15 cases were reported in the Capital while in 2006 just 19 dengue cases were reported till August 25.

CHANDIGARH

A team of the Haryana health department has reported that a majority of the 205 cases of dengue in Gurgaon pertain to patients living in New Gurgaon and other upmarket localities. Not a single instance has been reported from Old Gurgaon's Jacubpura area, which is known to have a lot of accumulated dirt and filth, or from any other slum.

Nine more dengue patients were admitted to different hospitals of the city in the last 24 hours, said the focal person of the dengue surveillance cell, Dr Shakil Malik, on Monday. He said a total of 39 dengue patients have so far been admitted to different hospitals, of which 11 patients were sent home after proper medical treatment at the hospitals.

Experts at the Aga Khan University Hospital examined in-house data from 2000 to 2005 and have reached the conclusion that not only were more patients reporting with Dengue but the third and most fatal stage was occurring in more cases.

Mosquito menace has taken an alarming turn in many parts of the city afflicting scores of people with dengue in this late monsoon, a perfect weather for mosquito breeding.

According to the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) sources, a total of 375 dengue cases were detected from July 1 to August 18 at different hospitals of the city.

People living in Jatrabari, Lalbagh, Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Gulshan, Moghbazar, Paltan, Rampura, Goran, Basabo, Manda, Mugda and Sayedabad are the worst sufferers.

The rainy season provides a fertile environment for Aedes mosquito to grow faster and transmit the dengue virus more rapidly. The incidence of dengue fever has reportedly increased in the country alarmingly. But simple protective measures and following proper guideline can reduce the occurrence, mortality and morbidity caused by the disease.

Instructions given to health officials and malaria inspectors