It’s officials now: the total number of reported cases of dengue and deaths due to the deadly fever during the current year in various parts of the country has increased dramatically as compared to previous years. The good news is that the number of cases of chikungunya and malaria have decreased this year.
According to the government data, so far till November 15 about 35,066 cases of dengue have already been reported along with 216 deaths due to the mosquito bitten fever. While there were only 15,535 cases of dengue that were recorded in 2009, about 28,292 cases were reported in 2010, in 2010 the total number of cases of dengue were 18,860.
Even the deaths due to dengue were less in all three years as compared to the current year. In 2009, 96 people died due to dengue, on the other hand in 2010, 110 people died due to the fever, also in 2009 the number of people dying due to dengue were 169.
Tamil Nadu has reported the maximum of 9249 cases with 60 deaths so far, followed by West Bengal, which recorded 6067 cases. Mosquito aedes aegypti, that spreads dengue fever, seems to have played havoc in southern states this year as states like Kerala and Karnataka reported 3674, 3482 cases respectively so far this year.
Maharastra has recorded 59 deaths due to dengue so far and 21 died in Karnataka due to dengue. Experts say that mutation of virus may have given dengue strains a deadlier sting.