Chandigarh, Oct. 20 -- Twenty-four dengue cases have been reported in Chandigarh so far this year, marking a five-year low. Dr Suman Singh, director, health services, said nine cases were recorded in September, while as many surfaced this month. Data from the National Centre for Vector Borne Diseases Control shows a steady decline in dengue cases in the Union Territory over recent years. During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, the city recorded 1,596 cases and three deaths. The number fell to 910 cases with one death in 2022, nearly halved to 454 cases (and no deaths) in 2023, decreased further to 349 cases in 2024, and dropped sharply to 66 cases with no deaths in 2025. Dengue is a viral, flu-like illness transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito, which breeds in stagnant water. Consequently, cases typically spike during the monsoon and post-monsoon periods. Health department records show that 90% of last year's cases occurred in the final quarter: 14 in October, 32 in November and 14 in December, compared to just two in July and four in September. A similar trend was observed in 2024, with the majority of infections concentrated in the last three months of the year. Dr Monica Gupta, head of general medicine department at the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, said the number of dengue cases depend on several factors, including weather effect, cleanliness drive and awareness regarding water accumulation where infected mosquitoes breed. "Dengue cases tend to follow a cyclic pattern, with major outbreaks recurring every few years due to shifts in population immunity and mosquito density," she noted. Symptoms typically manifest 4 to 5 days after a bite from an infected mosquito. Fever is the common symptom....