New Delhi, October 15:

Dengue fever seems to be spreading in the Indian capital with 23 new cases reported till Saturday, taking the total number of affected people to 339, municipal authorities said. Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials said since October was the peak season of dengue, the number of cases was going up but the situation was under control. Of the 339 affected, 236 cases were from Delhi and the remaining 103 patients were from neighbouring states. So far four people have succumbed to the disease, one of whom was from Delhi and one each from Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana.

Last year 206 cases of dengue were reported in the capital. The city is also facing a threat from malaria. So far more than 400 cases of malaria have been reported in Delhi, MCD officials said. “This is the peak period of mosquito breeding and hence the growing number of dengue and malaria cases. But the disease is under control and there is no question of declaring it an epidemic,” said CP Singh, deputy municipal health officer, MCD.

“Currently, 3,000 health workers are engaged in checking and disinfecting places where mosquitoes can breed in residential areas, government and private offices. We are also using larvicide and insecticide to control the breeding, especially in unused water in coolers,” he added. Singh said the large number of viral infections were due to the change in weather.