Dengue cases in Karnataka cross 10,000; up 138% since 2018

BENGALURU: Karnataka has reported 10,524 cases of dengue so far in 2019 — a 138% jump over 2018 when 4,427 cases were reported in the entire year. The government data released on September 9 shows six deaths due to the mosquito-borne disease, up from four last year.
Alarmingly, 61% of the dengue cases — 6,515 — were from Bengaluru city under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).In the first week of September alone, 322 cases of dengue have been diagnosed in the BBMP area. After Bengaluru, Dakshina Kannada, at 948 cases, has the highest incidence in the state so far.

The viral infection spread by the bite of the infected Aedes aegypti mosquito has registered an increase across southern India in 2019: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Kerala were among the five worst-hit states in India as of June. The current situation has rung alarm bells in Delhi — a team from the National Vector-Borne Disease Control programme, under the ministry of health and family welfare, visited Bengaluru a fortnight ago to take stock of the situation.
However, the state health department and BBMP claim dengue is seeing a declining trend. “In Karnataka, the highest number of cases have been from Bengaluru. The BBMP has identified 50 wards in which 50 volunteers are conducting house-to-house survey for larvae detection, source reduction and to create awareness,” Dr BG Prakash Kumar, joint director of the National Vector-Borne Disease control programme, said.
Dr BK Vijendra, child health officer, BBMP, added: “The trend has changed in the past 15 days with cases coming down. The week-wise analysis shows a decline. However, the east and south zones of BBMP are the problem area where we have intensified mosquito breeding prevention measures.”
“The virulence has come down but we are seeing cases even now,” says Dr Ambanna Gowda, internal medicine specialist at Fortis Hospital.
Audit panel to examine cause of every case
Besides, there is an increase in cases of viral fever with red rashes, joint pain and low platelet count and the patients are scared it could be dengue. Though most of those cases are not dengue, there is panic among people.”
In the past week, five dengue patients have been admitted to Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road.
The dengue toll in the state is set to increase. The dengue death audit committee of the state government is set to examine the cause of every case of suspected dengue death by auditing the person’s house and hospital where the death occurred before declaring the death due to dengue, as per guidelines. The health department is looking into eight suspected dengue deaths and the audit committee is yet to meet. “The meeting is likely to take place on September 17,” said Dr Prakash. So far, the committee has met in July and August.”
Measles cases double
Karnataka has reported twice the number of measles cases in 2019 compared to the previous year; officials attribute this to efficient case finding. In 2019, the number of cases in the state was 101, nearly double the 52 reported in 2018. This was revealed at a workshop for health department officials. Jawaid Akhtar, principal secretary, health and family welfare department, said the goal to eliminate measles by 2020 is tough to achieve.