Dengue cases at decadal high in Karnataka, but daily count down

Bengaluru: The surge in dengue cases in Karnataka this year has been the highest in a decade, with Bengaluru - given its population density - emerging as a major hotspot. The state had already reported 22,442 positive cases till Aug 12 this year, surpassing the 10-year high of 19,300 infections reported during all of 2023.

Karnataka has also reported 10 deaths due to dengue this year. BBMP areas alone have reported 10,175 positive cases - nearly 46 per cent of the state's total. This year's infections are on the verge of overtaking the 10-year-high of 11,136 cases in 2023.

The urban concentration of cases highlights the challenges the authorities face in combating vector-borne disease in densely populated areas.

BBMP health commissioner Suralkar Vikas Kishor said daily cases have come down from 200 a day to 100 and double digits from mid-Aug. "Though the daily cases have come down, which is a good thing, we'll still continue with our prevention measures like fogging and regular visits to vulnerable areas and checking for dengue black spots until the end of Oct. If we relax, it may go up further, so we will not take any chances," he said.

A member of the state-level Technical Advisory Committee said there could be multiple reasons for the dengue surge this year. "One can be the increased testing and reporting of cases. Changing climate is also another aspect as we've been having extended monsoons over the years. Another reason could be the population rise with more and more migrants moving into the state and camping at construction sites," he said.

Suralkar said breeding spots continue to proliferate, especially in apartments where he still finds that people aren't as cautious as they should be. "We are finding 5-6 breeding sites in individual houses. That is a very, very worrisome trend," he added.

"We can't really compare the data of the past 10 years. Along with the number of cases increasing every year, the number of tests has also gone up. Post-COVID, we've increased the number of tests and vigorously reported cases during the season," explained Suralkar.

In 2014, the state had tested 13,340 people, whereas in 2024, as of mid-Aug, 1,57,120 tests were conducted in the state. The number of tests crossed the one-lakh mark for the first time in 2023 and reached 1,55,392. In BBMP area, 2014 saw only 856 tests but this year. there have already been 47,718 tests until Aug 18.