Drop in chikungunya, dengue cases as compared to last year

With a nip in temperature, the number of vector-borne diseases in the city has seen a decline. Interestingly, compared to 2016, December saw a substantial drop in number of cases particularly for chikungunya and dengue. Against 162 cases in December 2016, the city recorded just three cases for chikungunya this month while for dengue, the number of cases was 37 against 119 last year for the same period.

The AMC in a release said that there has been 44% drop in chikungunya cases while for dengue it was 3.14% if the yearly data for these diseases is compared. Overall yearly malaria cases also saw a decline of 12.24% compared to last year. The department had also collected 29,736 serum samples so far till December 23, 2017 against 40,590 last year. Water-borne diseases saw a slight increase particularly for jaundice. Against 149 cases of jaundice recorded in December last year, this year the month has so far recorded 174 cases. Two cholera cases were reported in December this year from Jamalpur and Vejalpur ward.

As for cases of diarrhoea, the number increased from 459 in last december to 473 this year. Overall, 2017 saw 300 more cases of diarrhoea being registered compared to last year.

WHAT AMC DID

• As part of its efforts to control outbreak of disease, the civic body has so far in the year distributed 49,1905 chlorine tablets, carried out 29,934 tests for cholera and sent 2695 water samples for testing.