NEW DELHI, Oct 15 (Reuters) - An outbreak of dengue fever in India has killed 42 more people and infected another 1,000 over the past four days despite authorities' efforts to control the spread of the mosquito-borne disease, officials said on Sunday. A total of 94 people have died and nearly 5,000 dengue cases have been reported since late August. The disease is spread by the bite of the female Aedes aegypti mosquito. "We are not taking the situation lightly. I wish we had an adequate action plan each year to prevent this outbreak," P.K. Hota, India's health secretary, said. Health officials in New Delhi as well as state governments have been criticised for not anticipating the dangers of mosquito breeding in stagnant and filthy water that collects after the monsoons taper off. India is also fighting an outbreak of Chikungunya, another disease spread by female Aedes mosquito and which has the same symptoms of high fever, joint and muscular pains, vomiting and skin rashes as dengue. The government has confirmed 1,610 Chikungunya cases so far with no reported deaths but said there were 1.35 million suspected infections nationwide. The outbreaks, especially the dengue cases, have received wide media attention this year as the national capital, with a huge municipal budget, has been the worst hit by dengue fever with 24 deaths and nearly 1,400 cases. Civic authorities in New Delhi are running a campaign asking residents to empty their water-coolers and even flower vases to remove breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
