Number of people diagnosed with dengue fever (contracted from the bite of a mosquito) in North India is twice the number diagnosed last year. Municipal authorities have concluded that measures to control the mosquito population have failed in this region.
Which one of the following statements, if true, does not contradict this conclusion?
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Answer: D
To determine which statement does not contradict the conclusion, let us analyze the argument:
- Premise: The number of diagnosed dengue cases (transmitted by mosquitoes) has doubled compared to last year.
- Conclusion: Mosquito control measures in the region have failed.
To not contradict the conclusion, a statement must either support it or at least not weaken it by offering an alternative explanation for the rise in cases.
Evaluating the Options:
- Option A: If a high proportion of patients contracted dengue abroad, the rise in cases is not due to local transmission. This contradicts the conclusion that local mosquito control failed.
- Option B: If the rise is due to better administrative reporting, the actual number of infections might not have increased. This provides an alternative explanation and contradicts the conclusion.
- Option C: If the increase is due to a new, highly effective diagnostic test, it suggests better detection rather than a real increase in mosquito-borne transmission. This contradicts the conclusion.
- Option D: Malaria is also a mosquito-borne disease. An increase in malaria cases suggests a general rise in the mosquito population and mosquito-borne illnesses in the region. This reinforces and does not contradict the conclusion that mosquito control measures have failed.
Thus, Option D is the correct answer.
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