Dengue claims 30 lives, over 14000 people affected across country

NEW DELHI: With the onset of monsoon, dengue has affected over 14,000 people across the country and claimed the lives of 30 people till July 22 this year, according to data from a government body.

According to National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) under the Union health ministry, 14,233 cases have been reported across the country.

In Kerala, 2,897 cases have been detected till July 22 while the disease claimed the lives of 21 people, the highest in the country till now.

In Karnataka, around 1,903 cases have already been reported. There was no death reported in the state.

In 2017, the disease had affected around 1,88,401 people and claimed 325 lives across the country.

In Delhi, till July this year, 90 cases of dengue have been reported although there has been no death, according to the NVBDCP data.

Union health minister J P Nadda had reviewed the preparatory activities with the principal secretaries of 20 high-burden states, including Delhi, on April 27.

Nadda had also written to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal recently, stressing the need for initiating actions to implement preventive and control measures to check the spread of dengue and other vector-borne diseases.

He had called for strengthening of vector-control activities with deployment of trained personnel and availability of logistics in municipal corporations.

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