Amid Spike in Dengue Cases, Delhi Reports 9 Deaths, Highest Since 2017

Amid an alarming surge of dengue cases, Delhi has reported nine deaths due to the disease this year. Image used for representational purposes. 

(Photo: Getty Images/iStock photo) 

Amid an alarming surge of dengue cases, Delhi has reported nine deaths due to the disease this year, an official report released on Monday, 8 November, indicated. Three of these deaths have occurred within this month.

This marks the highest number of deaths to be recorded in Delhi due to dengue since 2017, when 10 persons had succumbed to the mosquito-borne disease.

Of the nearly 2,700 cases reported by Delhi this year, over 1,170 cases have been recorded in the last week, news agency PTI reported, citing official data.

The capital city had reported 1,196 cases of dengue in October.

Speaking to NDTV about the dengue outbreak in Delhi, senior consultant Dr Pooja Khosla said, "Around Diwali (and as winter sets in), when we expected to see cases decrease, there was an increase. This might be because, as COVID restrictions are lifted and we return to normal, people are taking it too easy and not following post-monsoon precautions."

Dengue viruses spread to people through the bites of female mosquitoes, mainly belonging to the species Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The carrier mosquitos breed in stagnant water.

(With inputs from NDTV and PTI)