The dengue cases are rapidly rising and have crossed the 1000 mark. The city reported 2447 dengue cases in the last six months, the numbers have touched 1036 in the last three weeks. The number of cases within the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits has been 1230 so far while Bengaluru Rural and Bengaluru Urban districts recorded a total of 30 cases. The infection typically lasts for four to seven days and persists for 10 to 12 days. The health commissioner Randeep D noted that the long dry spell has led to a water shortage, prompting increased water storage practices, which in turn have intensified mosquito breeding.
As per reports, the BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath has tested positive for dengue. The maximum number of dengue cases have been reported from Bengaluru, Chikkamagaluru, Haveri, Mysuru, Chitradurga, Shivamogga, and Dakshin Kannada.Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has asked health officials to work intensely on dengue detection and treatment. Chairing a high-level meeting with health department officials he asked them to ensure medicines are available for patients. Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao directed officials to increase tests to ensure early-stage dengue detection.
Dr. R. Srinivas, Resident Medical Officer, Victoria Hospital talked about the dengue virus spread and said that the dengue virus can multiply through ovarian transmission or transmission of the virus to the offspring when the infected mosquito breeds. Patients get themselves admitted to the hospital when the platelet count falls drastically. Dr. Sambashiva AC, Medical Director and General Physician Sree Lakshmi Hospital said that if the dengue infection gets complicated the patient can bleed in their mouth or experience black stool. The complications are not very common but not unlikely, he added.
BBMP health officials said that they are working on dengue control measures like awareness creation, house-to-house surveys, and spraying fogging to destroy mosquito-breeding grounds. Randeep further emphasised that it is crucial that citizens cooperate with health authorities by conducting regular inspections of water storage containers at home, and ensure proper disposal of solid waste to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. Dr. Manoj Kumar HV, Director and Dean, Bowring Hospital said that many of the dengue cases are treated at home without much complications. He said no severe cases have yet been reported at Bowring Hospital. Dengue causes high temperature, body ache, eye pain, joint ache, diarrhoea, nausea and gastrointestinal troubles, he added.