A vendor sells mosquito nets in Bengaluru.
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: Dengue cases across Bengaluru have declined compared to last year’s monsoon.
In July and August so far, the city reported 564 and 233 cases, respectively. In 2024, the numbers stood at 5,172 and 3,004, respectively.
Mahadevapura has recorded the highest cases this year with 798, while Dasarahalli reported the least with 15, data accessed by DH has revealed.
Despite heavy monsoon showers and poor waste management, the the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has managed to contain cases. “We trained more than 10,000 pourakarmikas three months before the peak monsoon to clear mosquito breeding points and understand why it is important to eliminate them,” a BBMP health official said.
Mosquitoes usually breed in clean stagnant water around human settlements.
Special Health Commissioner Suralkar Vikas Kishore said the last two years saw an unusual spike. “We sprayed repellents in crowded areas and larvicides in potential breeding spots. We took necessary measures, and residents responded well,” he said.
The BBMP also hired over 700 volunteers for 100 days, paying Rs 400 per day, to spread awareness and eliminate breeding grounds. Schools across the city were covered under the awareness programme. “Both teachers and students were trained on identifying larvae and eliminating them,” the official added.
In the last week, the BBMP issued 64 notices to establishments and construction sites for poor hygiene that led to mosquito breeding.
Karnataka reported 15,282 dengue cases and 20 deaths in 2024, the third highest in the country. In 2023, the state recorded 11,136 cases and 11 deaths.