MCD polls: Delhi's dengue cases could pose serious problem

As the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections move closer, dengue deaths in the city have emerged as a major civic issue, according to an Indian Express report.

The MCD said that there were no dengue deaths reported this year in official data, which was contrary to claims made by several city hospitals, the report said.

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According to the latest data shared by the civic body, 3,044 cases of dengue were reported in 2022 but there were zero fatalities. "The hospitals are responsible for the misreporting as they did not disclose any fatality due to dengue," said an MCD official. "Hence, we did not add it to our report so far."

Several hospitals, both private and public, disagreed with this view, according to the report. The hospitals said that they had witnessed deaths due to haemorrhagic fever as well as complications due to dengue and co-morbid conditions. They said that this data was also shared with the concerned authorities.

In 2015, the city witnessed a massive dengue outbreak, with cases crossing 10,600 in October. It was Delhi's worst dengue outbreak since 1996. Cases of vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria are usually reported between July and November, sometimes stretching till mid-December.

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Safdarjung hospital, one of the biggest Central Government-run medical institutions, told IE that five patients had died due to dengue in both September and October, while the months of January and July saw one death each. The hospital said that they had reported 813 cases so far this year.

Sources at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences said that 15 to 20 patients were seen till mid-November but the numbers had come down.

"Dengue is not a separate problem. It is a byproduct of sanitation," said Gopal Rai, Delhi Minister for Environment, Development and General Administration in a PTI report. "If in Delhi, the sanitation system is maintained and improved, the dengue problems can be solved. The solution for all types of illnesses like dengue and malaria lies in cleanliness. If they are managed properly, the problem will be solved."

The high-stakes MCD polls will be conducted on Dec. 4 and the votes will be counted on Dec. 7.

(With PTI inputs)