With the mercury dipping in Delhi, there was a decline in dengue cases as 53 new patients were admitted to various hospitals on Monday against an average of around 80 per day in the past week.
No deaths due to the deadly fever were reported in Delhi in the past two days and the toll till now stood at 49.
With 53 fresh cases, the total number of dengue patients in Delhi rose to 2,104, health officials said.
Snowfall and rains in north India led to a dip in the temperature in Delhi, which recorded a low of 16.5° C on Monday, the weather office said.
Municipal Health Officer N K Yadav said plunging mercury had led to a downward trend in dengue cases as the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, carrier of the dengue virus, could not survive in cold conditions.
The mosquito breeds less vigorously in temperatures ranging between 18° and 24° and stops breeding completely once the mercury dips below 18°, said Bir Singh, professor of Community Medicine at All India Institute of Medical Sciences.
The health officials said one death was reported at AIIMS. However, AIIMS Medical Superintendent D K Sharma said the hospital had reported the fatality earlier as a suspected dengue death and officials had only confirmed it on Monday.
Since Sunday evening, AIIMS admitted 41 fresh cases and discharged 31 patients.
AIIMS has started curtailing additional services launched after the outbreak of the disease.
