Dengue infections surge in Delhi

There was a sharp increase in the number of dengue cases in Delhi, with 412 new infections being reported in the last week of September, according to a report released by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Monday.

The national capital recorded a total of 525 dengue cases till September 21 and with the surge in the last week the tally of the vector-borne disease in the city has gone up to 937.

Dengue viruses are spread to people through the bite of an infected Aedes species (Ae. aegypti or Ae. albopictus) mosquito.

MCD officials attributed the surge in dengue cases to the heavy rains in the capital over a few days in the past month. No death has been reported so far this year due to the disease.

This is the highest number of dengue cases logged between the period of January 1 to September 21, since 2017, when the corresponding figure was 1,807.

A total of 125 cases of malaria and 23 cases of chikungunya have also been reported this year in Delhi till September 28, the report said.

Many people down with viral infection are exhibiting “overlapping symptoms” of Covid and the vector-borne disease, leaving patients confused.

Symptoms of Dengue include high fever, headache, rash and muscle and joint pain, which are quite similar to that of Covid which also includes fever or chills, muscle or body aches, fatigue and headache among others.