New Delhi, Oct 8 (PTI) Amid rising cases of dengue in the national capital, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation on Friday held a special meeting of its House to discuss vector-borne diseases scenario and ways to prevent its spread, officials said.

Over 340 cases of dengue have been reported in the national capital this year, including 217 in September, the highest count for this month in the last three years, according to official data.

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According to a civic report on vector-borne diseases released on Monday, a total of 341 dengue cases have been recorded this season till October 2, compared to 266 cases reported over the same period in 2020.

The East Delhi Municipal Corporation discussed the scenario of vector-borne diseases in east Delhi, in a special meeting of the EDMC House on Friday. During the meeting, councillors discussed measures to control and prevent vector-borne diseases like dengue, malaria and chikungunya.

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The House also reviewed the measures being taken by the EDMC's public health department, the civic body said in a statement.

The members appreciated the work being done by the dengue breeding checking staff or DBCs of the public health department for the prevention of vector-borne diseases.

Most of the councillors expressed their views during the special meeting of the House, and reiterated their commitment for prevention of dengue, malaria and chikungunya.

A total of 1,072 cases and one death were logged in the entire year in 2020, according to the Monday report released by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, the nodal agency for tabulating data on vector-borne diseases in the city.

Last year, 188 dengue cases were reported in the entire month of September, and 190 in 2019. In preceding years, the corresponding figures had stood at 374 (2018), 1103 (2017), 1,362 (2016) and 6,775 (2015), according to data shared by Delhi health department on September 22.

Dengue mosquito larvae breed in clear, standing water, while those of malaria thrive even in dirty water.

Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between July and November, but the period may stretch till mid-December.

According to the civic report, 113 cases of malaria and 56 cases of chikungunya have also been reported till October 2 this year.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)