With another dengue death being reported on Friday, the toll due to the virus rose to five in the capital, where mosquito-borne diseases are yet to subside despite a chill in the air.
Doctors have diagnosed nearly 700 people of dengue infection, 29 of chikungunya, 237 of malaria and 12 people of Japanese Encephalitis which is common in neighbouring states and surfaced for the first time in the city after four people tested positive last month.
The dengue death was reported after a 28-year-old woman died due of haemorrhagic fever at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
“After investigations we found that she had died due to dengue fever on October 14. She was a resident of West Sagarpur. Another 25 people tested positive for dengue fever since yesterday,” said Dr V.K. Monga, chairman, public health committee, MCD.
“The trend of mosquito-borne diseases is changing. Dengue which subsides in winters is still being reported. Four persons came with Japanese Encephalitis infection in September and all of a sudden another six were diagnosed during a random checking,” he said. The MCD is planning to hold a meeting on October 31 to mull ways to combat Japanese Encephalitis cases in the city.
“All the 12 cases are of Japanese Encephalitis infection. The last six cases had shown no external symptoms,” said state surveillance officer Dr R.P. Vashishtha.