In battle against Dengue, drones to attack larvae

NEW DELHI: The Delhi health department has asked for using drones for spraying anti-larva medicines in areas that are not easily accessible to limit the rising cases of dengue in the city.

Health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said he has talked to the MCD commissioner regarding it. "I have told them to use drones for the outer areas where we cannot reach," he said. He said the drones could also reach "under-construction buildings and far-flung areas or patches around drains where water gets accumulated," he said.

He said instructions have been given to MCD to do it.

Bharadwaj added: "We have given instructions to the health department and directorate of information and publicity to run a big campaign regarding dengue. I can see that today also, in schools there is no awareness. The masses still think that dengue comes in September, so instructions have been given to run a big campaign by health department and DIP."

He said that hospitals will be made ready for dengue cases.

The number of dengue patients admitted to hospitals across the city has steadily risen after the recent floods.

The viral is caused by the dengue virus (DENV), transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti. There are four dengue virus serotypes - DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4 - that have been seen in Delhi. The DENV-2 virus can lead to severe illness.

This year, 187 dengue cases have been reported in the national capital till July 22, the highest for the period since 2018, according to a civic body report released on Monday.

The report by the MCD also said that 61 cases of malaria have been recorded in the same period.

The number of dengue cases reported only in July is 65. It was 40 in June and 23 in May, according to the report.

In 2022, Delhi reported 159 dengue cases between January 1 and July 15. During the same period in 2021, the city reported 47 dengue cases, 26 in 2020, 34 in 2019 and 49 in 2018.

The Delhi government had earlier said that directions had been issued to all government, MCD and private schools to ensure students wear full-sleeve clothing to protect themselves from mosquito bites.

The Directorate of Education and MCD had been directed to provide private and government school children with 'dengue homework cards' to monitor their homes.

The chief minister has also directed the health department to reserve beds for dengue patients and ensure the availability of necessary medicines at hospitals and mohalla clinics, the health minister said.