Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao Fights Dengue Rise in Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Karnataka – Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao announced that the state is taking strict measures to reduce the spread of dengue mosquitoes. This comes as the state has recorded over 7,000 positive dengue cases this year.

Monitoring and Source Reduction

Minister Rao emphasized the importance of monitoring and source reduction, especially with the recent rainfall causing water stagnation. He stated, “We are keeping a strict visual on that…monitoring it. The important part of this is source reduction. How we can reduce the proliferation of the dengue mosquito.”

Spraying Activities and Technical Committee

In the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) area, 1,908 cases have been reported, with 5,098 cases from other districts. Spraying activities are ongoing in BBMP areas, particularly in construction sites and schools. A technical committee has been set up to decide on future protocols.

Regulations and Treatments

Rao mentioned that regulations are in place for dengue testing to control patient overflow in private hospitals. He assured that treatments, including IV fluids and platelets, are available in government hospitals. “We have a regulation in terms of testing. We have fixed the amount for dengue testing. If we receive any complaints regarding this, we will be taking very strict actions against those hospitals,” he said.

Current Situation

As of now, six people have lost their lives due to dengue in Karnataka this year. The BBMP area recorded 115 new cases on Saturday, with 60 more cases from the rest of the state.