Outbreaks of dengue fever and other vector-borne diseases–caused by pathogens or parasites transmitted by vectors, which include mosquitoes, ticks and fleas–caused much public tension and disputes between the Delhi government and the media, IndiaSpend reported in September 2016.
The media use data that the Delhi government officially reports to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), whose data suggest that the 2016 dengue fever outbreak in Delhi generated a fourth of the cases of 2015: Four dead and 3,778 cases until November 6, 2016.
In contrast, the Hindustan Times reported 25 dengue deaths in Delhi in 2016, or six times the NVBDCP numbers, whose reliability has been questioned by experts.
Delhi under dual attack: Dengue and chikungunya
The answer possibly lies in the spread of chikungunya, which shares some clinical symptoms with dengue fever, including joint pain, rashes, high fever and rashes.
Both are spread by the Aedes species of mosquito but are caused by different viruses, and it is possible to a patient to have dengue fever and chikungunya at the same time. There is no cure for both diseases. Dengue fever, however, is more dangerous than chikungunya.
The official response: Deny the problem
As panic rises, the standard response of authorities is to pretend that the problem does not exist. In September, a committee set up by the Delhi government to look into deaths said there were no confirmed fatalities from dengue or chikungunya.
(Sourced from agencies, feature image courtesy:ndtv.com)
