Sept. 10--NEW DELHI -- Officials in New Delhi said Friday that they were preparing for the worst outbreak of dengue fever in the city in five years amid concerns voiced by countries expected to participate in the Commonwealth Games scheduled for early October.
Australia and Britain have advised their nationals travelling to the Indian capital for the games to take precautions against the disease.
Dengue is a virus spread through mosquito bites. It can be life-threatening and is characterized by fever and aching muscles and joints. The disease usually breaks out during the monsoon season because the mosquito breeds in standing water.
Health Secretary Sujatha Rao said some foreign missions based in New Delhi had expressed concern. "The outbreak of dengue and the Commonwealth Games have converged this season," Rao said.
Rao added, however, that according to reports received by the Health Ministry, the disease was under control at all games venues except one site.
The results of the efforts to control mosquito breeding would kick in before the games, Rao said. More than 7,000 foreign athletes and officials were expected to start arriving in the city September 16.
World Health Organization (WHO) official Chusak Prasittisuk told reporters that the dengue outbreak was likely to get worse in September and October.
Prasittisuk, coordinator of communicable diseases at the WHO's South-East Asia Regional Office, said New Delhi health authorities were taking sufficient measures to control the disease.
The WHO official also said the situation in India was moderate compared with Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand, where many more cases had been reported this year.
A total of 72 new cases of dengue had been reported over the past 24 hours, VK Monga, head of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's health committee, said Friday.
"Residents of Delhi should prepare for the worst outbreak of dengue in five years as the number of cases has already reached the 1,652 mark with four deaths," Monga said.
Dengue usually peaks in October and the tally could cross 3,000, Monga said.
The Indian capital and its outskirts have witnessed its heaviest monsoon rains in 15 years this season.
Monga said the incessant rains were hampering control efforts as ant-larva chemicals sprayed at breeding sites were being washed away.
Besides anti-larvae chemicals, the municipal authorities were carrying out regular fogging operations and larvae-eating gambusia fish had been introduced in a pond near the games village where the athletes are to stay.
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