‘Delhi dengue situation as bad as 2006′

NEW DELHI - The dengue situation in the national capital seems alarmingly similar to the 2006 outbreak, when 3,366 cases of the deadly fever were reported along with 36 deaths, doctors said Saturday.

The total number of dengue cases in the city stood at 741 after 67 new cases were reported Saturday.

Officials of the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), which monitors and prevents vector borne diseases in the country, accepted that the number of dengue cases was alarmingly high in Delhi.

“There is a dengue outbreak in the city. Dengue cases will be under-reported as they (health agencies) take only confirmed cases which tested positive using the NS-1 antigen test. A total 33 government hospitals and other private hospitals are continuously checking the patients,” A.C. Dhariwal, director, NVBDCP told IANS.

In 2006, when dengue outbreak was declared in the city, just 19 cases were reported from Delhi till Aug 27, he said.

Ringing the alarm bell, doctors from private hospitals said dengue cases this season have increased manifold as compared to the last three years.

“As compared to 2006, this year the incidence of this vector borne disease will be more, as even after the cases are being under-reported the total is 741. If we conduct proper surveys, the figure will touch thousands,” a doctor of a south Delhi private hospital told IANS, requesting anonymity.

He added that in September the number of dengue cases may increase manifold.

According to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, in 2008 the number of dengue cases was 1,312 and reported deaths were two. In 2009, the number was 1,153 with three deaths and in 2010 so far 741 cases have been reported along with two death.

Municipal Health Officer N.K. Yadav said: “We only take into account the cases tested for dengue using the Elisa test. Private hospitals generally don’t conduct this test as it is expensive, so we will not take their cases into account.”

Dengue is transmitted by the bite of the aedes mosquito. High fever for 4-5 days is usually accompanied by severe headache, pain in eyes, muscle and joint pain and rashes. After the fever goes away, the blood platelet counts start dipping, which is the most dangerous phase of the disease and requires monitoring.