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Mysuru stands third in the State after Bengaluru (Bengaluru Bruhat Mahanagara Palike – BBMP) and Udupi in dengue infections as the district has reported 360 confirmed cases so far since January this year. The cases rose especially after the onset of monsoon as 124 cases were detected in June and about 74 cases so far in July.
Though no deaths due to dengue and cluster cases have been reported in the district, the spurt in cases has put the officers of the Department of Health and Family Welfare on their toes with the health workers stepping up surveillance, awareness and measures to curb mosquito breeding.
The cases are widespread and not concentrated in any particular taluk but Periyapatna taluk has been reporting more cases among all the taluks and the health authorities have heightened surveillance with doctors and staff from three PHCs carrying out the anti-dengue drive and other activities for containing the infection rate.
Periyapatna has reported a 10 per cent positivity rate in the district as one out of 10 samples was testing positive to dengue.
“Dengue cases are being reported from all taluks. The continuous rains have given rise to mosquito breeding. Our efforts to contain the spread are on with the field staff and health workers on the task, identifying areas where the cases were reported and taking out necessary measures,” said District Vector Borne Diseases Control Officer Chidambar.
He told The Hindu that both urban and rural areas have been reporting cases and the steps taken helped in containing the spread in areas such ase Ramakrishnanagar and Kuvempunagar. J P Nagar has reported four new cases and this is our focus area now to ensure that the cases do not go up, he added.
The long dry spell after the rains in May is suspected to have facilitated proliferation of the dengue-carrying Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes, health sources said.
Since December last year, the cases haven’t dropped, and the Department of Health has continued to carry out surveillance and awareness drives to control mosquito breeding and transmission.
On an average, 30-40 cases are being reported every month and around 177 cases were reported from January till June 10. Surveillance has been stepped up in these areas besides steps for eliminating the sources of mosquito breeding. The areas here that once used to report more cases of dengue, particularly in N.R. constituency, have taken the advice of health workers seriously and taken necessary precautions. The cases have come down in these areas but risen in the upmarket areas.
