India: Dengue fever and chikungunya outbreak reported in New Delhi

Event

New Delhi is experiencing a rise in mosquito-borne diseases - notably dengue and chikungunya - as of early October, in line with a seasonal surge in case rates typically observed on an annual basis between June-July and November. Of the total number of 650 dengue cases reported in New Delhi so far in 2018, 169 were reported in the first week of October alone. Meanwhile, a total number of 68 chikungunya cases have been reported in the city as of early October. Senior officials have announced that major breeding grounds are being monitored and notices are being issued to individuals at whose houses mosquito breeding has been identified. Domestic breeding checkers have identified mosquito breeding areas at 192,928 households across the city as of early October. Public health officials are implementing measures to control vector-borne diseases in the area and meetings with district magistrates are being held to address the situation. No associated deaths have been reported as of early October.

Context

In 2017, 9271 people in New Delhi were affected by dengue. Dengue fever and chikungunya are mosquito-borne diseases found mostly in urban and semi-urban areas. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, nausea, and rash. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, enlargement of the liver, and hemorrhaging. No treatment or vaccine for the chikungunya virus is currently available.

Advice

Individuals present in New Delhi are advised to take measures to protect themselves from mosquito bites (e.g. by wearing covering clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping in a screened-in or air-conditioned room) and to eliminate possible mosquito breeding grounds on their properties (e.g. small pockets of fresh water, such as rainwater that has collected in cans, bottles, tires, flower pots, clogged gutters, etc.).