BENGALURU: Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Monday said the state government is taking all measures to combat the spread of dengue, and everyone needs to be extra vigilant at least for the next two months till the end of the rainy season.
This year, 68,000 dengue cases have been reported, which is significantly higher compared to around 25,000 cases reported in the corresponding period last year, the minister informed the state legislative council.
He said the government has taken the situation seriously. Tests are being conducted extensively, and it has been declared a notifiable disease so that the government gets information about cases reported in private hospitals and various departments work together to deal with the situation, he added. Task forces have been constituted to combat its spread and the situation is reviewed at various levels, including a meeting chaired by the chief minister, he said.
The minister said if two or more dengue cases are reported from the same locality, it would be declared a hotspot and fever clinics would be opened to conduct tests for people in surrounding areas, he said.
Treatment is free in government hospitals, the minister said and sought cooperation from all elected representatives to combat the dengue spread.