The city residents continue to grapple with mosquito-borne diseases as 24 fresh cases of suspected dengue have come to the notice of the civic authorities this month. Health department officials of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) said the number is less than the cases reported in September, when it was 40.

Taking no chances, doctors took blood samples of even those patients who had come with complaints of mild fever at 19 surveillance centres, Dr S P Kulkarni, AMC medical officer said on Saturday.

According to him, 900 blood samples have been tested so far this year. One person has reportedly died of dengue, he said.

Asked if more cases were reported from the new west zone areas, Dr Kulkarni said there was not much difference between the number of cases reported from old limits and new areas. Generally, most cases are reported in the post-monsoon period, he said, adding that not all reported cases are admitted as indoor patients.

He admitted that cases of falciparum malaria were more than dengue. In October alone 71 cases of falciparum malaria were reported at civic hospitals, he said. The number has been static since July.

"The number of malaria cases should decline from November onwards," he said. It may be recalled that dengue had wrecked havoc in the city three years ago.