BENGALURU: Sustained efforts by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to combat dengue appears to have borne fruit with just 1,676 positive cases reported in the city from January 1 till July 23. In contrast, 7,280 dengue positive cases were reported in BBMP limits during the corresponding period last year.
With health officials on alert to curb the number of dengue cases, the Palike has achieved more than 75 per cent drop in the positive cases, and, as per data from the health and family welfare department, no deaths were reported this year.
As per the data, there were 2,313 dengue cases and zero deaths in 2022. However, it witnessed nearly a fourfold jump with 8,609 dengue cases with four deaths in 2023. In 2024 (till December first week), the positive cases almost doubled, and there were a whopping 14,950 cases with three deaths.
Sharing details on the measures taken by BBMP that helped cut down the cases, BBMP Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao said, “The civic body took up multiple measures to check the dengue spike this year. Though we have dengue cases, the situation is far better than last year. The drill against dengue is continuing and we have put our health officials on alert. They are taking all the necessary precautionary measures, and are empowered to take suitable actions to curb the spread.”
Along with the awareness campaigns, BBMP has taken efforts to identify all those areas where there is water accumulation. Special focus is on low-lying areas, which are fertile ground for dengue breeding, he said, adding that in such areas the BBMP has intensified the spraying.
“Not only spraying, which controls the mosquito population, we are educating students and people on dengue larva source reduction by ensuring that they do not let water stagnate,” Rao said.