Cases of vector-borne diseases go up with onset of monsoon
Several parts of India have reported an uptick in dengue cases. The number of cases of vector-borne diseases like dengue, malaria and chikungunya usually increases in the June-July period with the onset of the monsoon.
Delhi has reported over 150 dengue cases so far this year. In January, the capital had 23 cases, 16 in February, 22 in March, 20 in April, 30 in May and 32 in June, reported Press Trust of India. Till July 9, 10 cases were reported and no deaths due to the disease have been reported till now.
The national capital has also reported 28 cases of malaria and eight cases of chikungunya so far this year.
In June alone, PMC reported 17 confirmed and 146 suspected cases of dengue, respectively.
Pune and neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad have also intensified surveillance against vector-borne diseases. PMC reported around 24 dengue positive cases and 101 suspected cases in July, while the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) reported around 11 positive cases and around 164 suspected cases, reported The Times of India.
In Mumbai, cases have registered a near 20 per cent growth over last year's corresponding period. There were 130 confirmed dengue cases between January and July but no deaths.
Telangana has already clocked 1,184 dengue cases this year, with 584 from Hyderabad, said a News9 Live report. Hyderabad had 167 dengue cases even before the onset of monsoon, reported TOI.
Four dengue cases were detected in Goa's Canacona in June as well.
Ernakulam district in Kerala has had 2,270 dengue cases, with 593 confirmed cases. In July, the district had 243 cases, with 45 confirmed ones, said a The New Indian Express report.
In Karnataka, Dakshina Kannada district has recorded an increase of about 30 more dengue cases compared to last year, said another TOI report. The district recorded 88 cases of dengue from January 1 against 58 cases during the same period last year.
Bihar had officially registered 37 dengue cases by June 22 and a maximum 21 from Patna.
Tamil Nadu has reported the highest number of dengue cases at 2,548 cases till May 31, while Karnataka reported 1,714 dengue cases, and Rajasthan is at third place with 824 cases. Across the country, 10,172 persons have tested positive for dengue from January 1 to May 31, reported National Vector-Borne Disease Control Programme.
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease that spreads widely in the monsoon season. It is transmitted by the infective bite of the Aedes Aegypti mosquito.
The symptoms of dengue include high fever, headache, rash, muscle and joint pain. It occurs in two forms – Dengue fever and Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF). Dengue fever is a severe, flu-like illness while DHF is a more severe form of the disease, which may cause death.
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