New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS): Health stakeholders, including top officials of the Delhi health department, researchers and laboratories, on Wednesday met to discuss new initiatives to control the raising dengue cases in the national capital.

Dengue cases have seen a dramatic increase in Delhi and its adjoining areas in the past one month.

During the meeting, the stakeholders were said to have discussed specific areas of the city from where the maximum number of dengue cases were reported. However, specific details not made public.

The meeting, held at the Delhi secretariat, was headed by the health secretary.

The national capital till September 29 has witnessed a total of 17 deaths due to dengue. However, the unofficial death toll, confirmed by hospitals, have crossed 70.

Nearly 2,200 fresh cases of dengue have been reported in the past one week even as hospitals in the city continued to be flooded with patients hit by the mosquito-borne fever.

Officials said the number of affected people this year is all set to overtake the total figure for 2010, when 6,259 cases were reported.