Amid a surge in dengue cases, the Karnataka government has issued an order capping the rates for dengue testing in private hospitals on July 4. The order sets the maximum price for ELISA NS1 antigen and IgM antibody tests at Rs 300 each. Additionally, the rate for rapid card tests for the NS1 antigen, IgM, and IgG antibodies has been fixed at Rs 250.
This decision followed a meeting between State Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and officials from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), as well as the urban and rural development departments, held at the Vidhana Soudha on July 2. While government hospitals provide dengue testing and treatment free of charge, private hospitals and diagnostic laboratories have been charging between Rs 500 and Rs 1,500 for the same tests.
Bengaluru, under the jurisdiction of the BBMP, has recorded a significant number of dengue cases, with the total count reaching 2,194 this year. The Mahadevapura zone leads the tally with 610 cases, followed by the east zone with 578 cases and the south zone with 325 cases. Across Karnataka, the number of dengue cases has risen to 6,390, with six reported deaths, including one in Bengaluru.