<p>Dengue and chikungunya cases are posing a challenge in the era of the Covid-19 pandemic because of overlapping symptoms, which necessitate the need to rule out Covid first through diligent testing.</p>.<p>Bengaluru, which reported 1,081 dengue cases since the start of the month, also recorded 2,914 cases of Covid-19 between November 1 and 19.</p>.<p>Health Commissioner D Randeep noted that in recent consultations with large private hospitals, he had been told that they were receiving a large number of people with Covid-19-like symptoms. “However, very few of them tested positive for Covid. Most were cases of dengue, chikungunya or other non-communicable diseases,” he said.</p>.<p>Officials also said people isolating at home are not being tested, which could be concealing additional dengue cases. An infectious disease expert at Manipal Hospital (HAL Airport Road), Dr Neha Mishra, confirmed that there are more dengue cases at her hospital than Covid cases.</p>.<p>In Bengaluru, cases are confined to a few zones, with the greatest concentrations being found in Yelahanka.</p>.<p>According to the data from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), over 40 cases have been registered in Kempegowda (Ward 1) this month, followed by between 20 and 30 cases in Attur (Ward 3), Jogupalya (Ward 89) and Shivajinagar (Ward 92).</p>.<p>Dr Thrilok Chandra, Special Commissioner (Health), BBMP, said the cases have risen in the four wards because of stagnant water. “This is the result of heavy rains in the past few days and our surveillance teams are striving to ensure that pools of water are not collecting for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to breed in,” he said.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">Mahadevapura mystery</p>.<p>BBMP data shows that the two Yelahanka wards had received over 67 and 74 mm rain on Friday alone. However, more rain fell in Mahadevapura zone which has not reported a commensurate spike in cases.</p>.<p>Nevertheless, a Mahadevapura zonal official said that out of the 6,134 households surveyed in the zone, Aedes aegypti larvae were found in 1,405. Nevertheless, only 34 dengue cases have been reported in the entire zone since the start of the month (and 144 since January). </p>.<p>“I don’t believe under-reporting is happening because we are getting data from private hospitals and our Asha workers are going around on surveillance duties. We believe our awareness campaigns about dengue have worked. At the same time, the pandemic has made things challenging,” the official said.</p>.<p>According to Dr Neha, it takes the Aedes aegypti about 48 hours to lay eggs in stagnant freshwater. The larva takes between 5 and 10 days to become a pupa. Two additional days later, adult mosquitoes are the result. “Generally, whenever there are 2-3 days gap between rains, we find new populations of mosquitoes,” she said.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
<p>Dengue and chikungunya cases are posing a challenge in the era of the Covid-19 pandemic because of overlapping symptoms, which necessitate the need to rule out Covid first through diligent testing.</p>.<p>Bengaluru, which reported 1,081 dengue cases since the start of the month, also recorded 2,914 cases of Covid-19 between November 1 and 19.</p>.<p>Health Commissioner D Randeep noted that in recent consultations with large private hospitals, he had been told that they were receiving a large number of people with Covid-19-like symptoms. “However, very few of them tested positive for Covid. Most were cases of dengue, chikungunya or other non-communicable diseases,” he said.</p>.<p>Officials also said people isolating at home are not being tested, which could be concealing additional dengue cases. An infectious disease expert at Manipal Hospital (HAL Airport Road), Dr Neha Mishra, confirmed that there are more dengue cases at her hospital than Covid cases.</p>.<p>In Bengaluru, cases are confined to a few zones, with the greatest concentrations being found in Yelahanka.</p>.<p>According to the data from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), over 40 cases have been registered in Kempegowda (Ward 1) this month, followed by between 20 and 30 cases in Attur (Ward 3), Jogupalya (Ward 89) and Shivajinagar (Ward 92).</p>.<p>Dr Thrilok Chandra, Special Commissioner (Health), BBMP, said the cases have risen in the four wards because of stagnant water. “This is the result of heavy rains in the past few days and our surveillance teams are striving to ensure that pools of water are not collecting for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to breed in,” he said.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">Mahadevapura mystery</p>.<p>BBMP data shows that the two Yelahanka wards had received over 67 and 74 mm rain on Friday alone. However, more rain fell in Mahadevapura zone which has not reported a commensurate spike in cases.</p>.<p>Nevertheless, a Mahadevapura zonal official said that out of the 6,134 households surveyed in the zone, Aedes aegypti larvae were found in 1,405. Nevertheless, only 34 dengue cases have been reported in the entire zone since the start of the month (and 144 since January). </p>.<p>“I don’t believe under-reporting is happening because we are getting data from private hospitals and our Asha workers are going around on surveillance duties. We believe our awareness campaigns about dengue have worked. At the same time, the pandemic has made things challenging,” the official said.</p>.<p>According to Dr Neha, it takes the Aedes aegypti about 48 hours to lay eggs in stagnant freshwater. The larva takes between 5 and 10 days to become a pupa. Two additional days later, adult mosquitoes are the result. “Generally, whenever there are 2-3 days gap between rains, we find new populations of mosquitoes,” she said.</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
