Mangaluru: The focus of the state’s healthcare machinery being more or less monopolised by
Covid-19, there were fears among stakeholders in the sector of other diseases seeing an uptick, particularly
vector-borne diseases such as dengue. Furthermore, many districts in the state did register a rise in the number of
dengue cases this year, but
Dakshina Kannada is not one of them.
There has been a
sharp decline in the number of dengue cases reported in the coastal district this year.
In 2019, as many as 1,539 people in Dakshina Kannada reported dengue.
As on October 31 this year, only 220 dengue cases have been reported from across Dakshina Kannada, and the chances of the number even inching closer to the 1,000-mark seem slim since the quantum of rainfall in November and December is too little to allow for unchecked spread of vector-borne diseases.
In 2019, Mangaluru city had accounted for the lion’s share of the dengue cases reported in Dakshina Kannada – 969 of the 1,539 cases – in addition to reporting two of the four fatalities. But Mangaluru has reported a mere 30 dengue cases this year, and there has not been a single death owing to the disease across Dakshina Kannada this year. But the health department is not willing to relax its vigilance, with efforts continuing to ensure people take adequate measures to check breeding of mosquitoes.
Dakshina Kannada district surveillance officer Dr Naveen Chandra Kulal called on people to stay as vigilant against vector-borne diseases as they have been in combating Covid-19.
“Last year, we witnessed a decline in the number of dengue cases after September, although the incidence was high in April and May. Precautionary measures adopted by the people, in addition to measures put in place by the health department have helped keep the number of dengue cases down in the district. People are more conscious now, after the steep spike the district witnessed last year. Also, the lockdown and fear of Covid-19 have resulted in people staying indoors. Meanwhile, the department has also undertaken IEC programmes, making regular door-to-door visits,” Dr Kulal told TOI.