Bhubaneswar: The city reported 14 dengue cases in June and July so far, a significant drop from 198 during the same period in 2025, according to Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) data. Out of 11,615 samples tested during the period, just 14 returned positive, resulting in a test positivity rate of 0.12%, it said.Officials said the BMC’s intensified campaign against dengue has helped keep the infections under control despite continuous rainfall that has temporarily halted their chemical fogging operations, even as the civic body dismantled more than 4,200 mosquito breeding sources in the past six weeks.The BMC officials added they are waiting for the rain to stop to take up fogging again. “The weather is extremely bad now with intermittent heavy rain, and in this condition, chemical fogging to kill adult mosquitoes will not be effective,” said BMC deputy commissioner Rashmirekha Amat.Amat added the BMC teams have visited 65,929 households during awareness drives, detecting 55,921 water-holding containers. “Mosquito larvae were found in nearly 5,000 homes. Altogether 4,280 breeding sources have been dismantled,” she said.The civic body has deployed trained dengue volunteers to conduct household surveys in domestic and peridomestic areas. These volunteers are tasked with eliminating breeding sites and running sensitisation campaigns. To ensure wider outreach, the BMC is using radio jingles, social media, FM radio talks and even door-to-door waste collection vehicles to spread awareness.Commercial establishments have also been brought under the ambit of dengue prevention. The BMC has instructed Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation, as well as MSME and estate departments, to ensure source reduction on their premises. Market associations and resident welfare associations have been urged to take proactive steps in cleaning their surroundings. Establishments will be required to submit undertakings regarding detection and reporting of dengue cases.Officials said the combined strategy of source reduction, awareness campaigns and community participation has been crucial in keeping the dengue numbers low this monsoon season.
