As many as 12 new chikungunya cases were reported in the national Capital this week, taking the total number of confirmed cases this year to 39. In 2016, in the corresponding months, no cases of the vector-borne disease were reported from Delhi. According to a report by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), which tabulates the data on behalf of all the municipal corporations in the Capital, a total of 7,760 chikungunya cases were reported till the end of 2016. Generally considered non-fatal, chikungunya is caused by a virus that has three genotypes — Asian, West African, and East Central South African. In 2006, over 13 lakh suspected cases of chikungunya were reported all over India. In 2016, at least 15 fatalities were reported at various city hospitals due to complications triggered by chikungunya, though the civic bodies have kept the death tally at zero. At least 21 deaths due to dengue were reported in various hospitals, including nine at AIIMS, though the official tally of the SDMC stands at 10. As many as 17 suspected deaths due to malaria were also reported by the civic bodies. Also, in 2016, at least 19,617 people were affected by chikungunya across the country till September 25, with 10,334 in Karnataka and 1,187 in Maharashtra, according to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP). The season for the vector-borne diseases begins from mid-July and generally lasts till November-end.

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