Dengue emergency in South India: 6,242 cases in Telangana; Karnataka has declared an epidemic

Hyderabad: 6,242 dengue cases have been reported in Telangana so far this year. Of that, 1,783 were found in the last week of August. According to Telangana Health Minister’s statement, 1,06,356 tests have been conducted and the positivity rate is 6%.

The government claims that the dengue impact is less than last year, but the opposition blames it on the government’s inability to contain the outbreak.

The Health Department has announced Dry Day to eliminate breeding sites in educational institutions, residential areas and common places.

The burden of the entomology department, lack of staff and public reluctance to allow workers into homes to curb mosquito production are cited as obstacles to the government’s efforts.

Malaria and dengue cases in Andhra Pradesh

In contrast to other southern states, Andhra recorded more malaria cases than dengue in June, July and August.

According to data published by the National Center for Vector-Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC), the state has reported 1,836 dengue cases till 30 June 2024. However, according to the Andhra Pradesh government’s director of Health, the total number of dengue cases was around 2,000 in the first week of August.

The number of dengue cases in 2023 was very high, with 6,453 cases reported, but no deaths were reported by the Health department.

Karnataka has declared an epidemic

With 12 deaths and 25,000 cases reported, the Karnataka government declared the dengue outbreak an epidemic. This is the first time that dengue cases have crossed 25000. As of September 2, 11,590 cases have been registered under Brihat Bangalore Mahanagara Palik (BBMP).

The notification empowers authorities to impose fines on residences, commercial places, restaurants, shops and vendors who violate the guidelines and fail to prevent mosquito breeding on their premises.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) bi-monthly (August 16 to September 1) epidemiological update, the number of dengue cases in Karnataka and Kerala continues to rise.

Caseload is increasing in Karnataka, BBMP

In contrast to previous years, the number of dengue cases across Karnataka and specifically in the BBMP region, the government has declared the outbreak an epidemic. In 2023, the total number of dengue cases in the state was 19,300, while the same number of cases were reported as on August 3, 2024. Further, more than 15,000 cases have been identified in the last month and a half.

Dinesh Gundurao, Minister of Health and Family Welfare in the Government of Karnataka, shared the notification and asked people to cooperate in curbing the spread of dengue. This provision penalizes individuals and organizations that fail to ensure cleanliness of the surroundings and requires frequent inspections from the concerned authorities.

Monsoons trigger more cases in Kerala

The southwest monsoon has been bringing continuous heavy rains across Kerala, leading to an increase in the number of dengue cases. By the end of August, nearly 14,000 dengue cases had been reported in the state.

According to the daily report on communicable diseases published by the Directorate of Health Services on September 1, the number of confirmed dengue cases is 15,056 with 58 deaths in 2024. Similar to Karnataka, the number of dengue cases in Kerala surpassed the total number of cases during the same period of the previous year.

Caseload is increasing in Tamil Nadu

The number of dengue cases is increasing due to the heavy monsoon in various parts of the state along with the Western Ghats.

According to data published by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of cases reached 11,538 with 4 deaths in the first eight months of 2024. After 6 years the number of cases crossed the 10,000 mark.

With the arrival of the northeast monsoon in November, various departments including Health, municipal administration and rural development have prepared cleaning exercises to prevent mosquito breeding.

Lack of adequate number of Domestic Breeding Checkers (DBC) in various local bodies has hampered anti-breeding exercises like fogging, spraying and creating awareness.