A call to action for Bengaluru’s apartment complexes and gated communities as dengue cases surge  Premium

As Bengaluru grapples with a surge in dengue cases, the city’s residents are facing a public health challenge. The monsoon season has aggravated the spread of this vector-borne disease, with stagnant water and moderate humidity creating ideal breeding conditions for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector for dengue.

As Bengaluru grapples with a surge in dengue cases, the city’s residents are facing a public health challenge. The monsoon season has aggravated the spread of this vector-borne disease, with stagnant water and moderate humidity creating ideal breeding conditions for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector for dengue.

As on July 13, Karnataka recorded 9,000 dengue cases this year, with 2,830 cases in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) area alone. With the growing cases, it is imperative that apartment complexes and gated communities take proactive measures to protect their residents and curb the spread of dengue.

To educate apartments and gated communities, the Health Department under the BBMP along with the Bengaluru Apartments’ Federation (BAF) is educating residents on how to tackle the situation, by giving out advisories and conducting talks by doctors.   

Speaking to The Hindu, BBMP’s Special Commissioner for Health, Suralkar Vikas Kishor, said that if there is a positive case within an apartment or a gated community, there is an 80% chance that the mosquito has bred in the vicinity. “As far as handling dengue in gated communities and apartments is concerned, we along with the Chief Commissioner have issued guidelines through a video conference to the Bengaluru Apartments’ Federation and other resident welfare associations (RWAs) a few days ago. The guideline helps the association understand how mosquitoes breed, what must be done to prevent the spread of dengue and what must be communicated among their residents.“

He said that residents need to understand that this mosquito can breed even in fresh water including sump and tanks, but the travel distance of this breed is no more than 10 meters. “If your household is kept clean, you use mosquito nets and repellents, cover yourself when outdoors, and try to do regular fogging of the surroundings, half of the job is done,” he added.

Self-care, self-prevention and protection is important, and if there are any symptoms typical of dengue, one must immediately visit a healthcare facility, as it is treated like any other viral infection, Kishor said.

Vikram Rai, president of Bengaluru Apartments’ Federation (BAF), said the they have set up a health programme that is issued to every apartment. “A few days ago, we met officials from the BBMP Health Department, and they shared a few tips on how to tackle the dengue situation. We also held talks with a few doctors from a private hospital with all our members online for guidance. Since most of the cases are from the Whitefield area, the talk with hospital has helped amplify the programme,” he said.