Delhi records 90 per cent hike in breeding of vector-borne diseases in homes in 2023: MCD report

Delhi: The breeding of vector-borne diseases like dengue, malaria, and chikungunya surged by nearly 90 percent in Delhi during the monsoon season last year compared to 2022, according to an MCD report.

The report, which also outlines the corporation’s action plan for preventing and controlling vector-borne diseases for the upcoming monsoon season, highlights a rise in the number of such breedings found during home inspections over the past four years since 2020.

Monsoon is expected to arrive in the national capital by the end of this month, around June 27.

Delhi recorded 3,25,875 cases of mosquito breeding at home in 2023, nearly 90 percent higher than 1,71,931 in 2022, the data in the report shows.

In 2022, there was a considerable dip in the number of house breeding cases by over 24,000 cases, with 1,96,303 instances recorded in 2021. In 2020, instances of mosquito breeding at homes in Delhi stood at 1,09,550.

The report also shows an increase in the number of legal notices issued by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to owners of households where mosquito breeding was found, rising to 1,72,481 in 2023 from 1,22,282 in 2022—a 41 percent jump in a year.

Furthermore, the MCD conducted 41,476,581 house inspections in 2023 to check for mosquito breeding, nearly 15 percent more than the previous year. In 2022, 36,076,419 house inspections were conducted, up from 30,795,251 in 2021 and 12,286,481 in 2020.

Of the total legal notices sent to householders in 2023, the MCD launched prosecutions against 74,342 people for violating the MCD (Malaria and other vector-borne diseases) bye-laws of 1975. In 2022, legal action was taken against 45,934 people, up from 27,427 in 2021 and 10,372 in 2020, according to the data.

The MCD has not released its weekly data on the number of cases, dengue deaths, and the status of vector-borne diseases since August 7, 2023. This exercise was stalled in the run-up to the G-20 summit in Delhi, civic body officials said.

When asked for the tally, MCD officials refused to provide data, stating it was not ready. However, sources at the municipal corporation indicated that records were regularly maintained and the numbers are believed to be high. (With inputs from PTI)