The North Delhi Municipal Corporation has launched a three day campaign in all 104 wards of North Delhi to sensitise residents about vector borne diseases like dengue, malaria and chikungunya.

A senior corporation said that in this awareness campaign, areas prone to mosquito breeding in government buildings, police stations and schools will be checked by public health department. The official said that insecticides are also being sprayed as per the requirement in such areas to control breeding.

Urmila Chaudhary, Chairperson of the anti-malaria committee also visited Rohini Zone to inspect schools, government offices and under construction premises in the area. In addition, the public health department staff and 'Dengue Breeding Checkers' (DBCs) went door-to-door to check the breeding of mosquitoes and also distributed specially designed pamphlets on prevention of vector borne diseases.

Besides, officials from health department in association of zonal officials also visited schools and briefed children about the diseases caused by mosquitoes and how to prevent breeding in their surrounding, the official said.    

Chaudhary appealed public to cooperate to prevent dengue, malaria and chikungunya. She expressed her concern over the rising outbreak of dengue and malaria this year, saying that prevention is the best option we have to prevent it as there is no treatment for dengue.

The National Capital has witnessed a spurt in cases of malaria as the number of patients suffering from the disease has crossed 300 marks. Also, 17 fresh cases of dengue traced last week, taking the total number of patients to 198.  However, out of total cases of malaria, 183 cases diagnosed belong to the neighbouring states while 123 patients suffering from dengue traced in Delhi belong to other states.

According to SDMC which tabulates the data on vector-borne diseases in the city all the three corporations have found mosquito-breeding in at least 75,133 households and 67,548 legal notices have been issued this year. Last year, 2,798 dengue cases and four deaths were recorded by the SDMC.

Doctors in the city have advised people to use mosquito repellents, wear full Sleeve clothes and avoid places that are more prone to the diseases.

According to the SDMC, 10 people had died due to dengue in Delhi in 2017, of which five were not residents of the national capital. Overall, the vector-borne disease had affected 9,271 people in the city last year.