Capital records first dengue case of 2021

New Delhi: Delhi reported its first dengue case this year in February, as per data on vector-borne diseases released by the Municipal

Corporation of Delhi. This data also corroborates that with minimum temperatures rising steadily, cases of mosquito larvae found in houses are also increasing.

Between January 1 and February 6 this year, Domestic Breeding Checkers (DBCs) found mosquito breeding in 102 households in the city, and issued fines for the same. 55 such houses were in South Delhi, 37 in North Delhi and 10 in East Delhi.

The MCDs have also issued 177 legal notices for mosquito-genic conditions and launched prosecution in 16 cases till now. More than 12,700 houses have been sprayed with insecticides to prevent mosquito-larvae breeding. While the capital's first dengue case was reported in the week between February 1-6 this year, no cases of Malaria or Chikungunya have been recorded as yet.

Public health officials have asked residents to check for indoor mosquito-breeding sites (which is where DBC teams found the most larvae) and keep doors/windows closed post sunset

because as outdoor temperature falls, mosquitoes try to get inside houses in the evenings in this weather.