Bengaluru: Amid reports of a spike in dengue cases in the state, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Sunday urged the government to declare it an "emergency situation", and to make testing free.

The BJP leader also stressed the need to set up a task force in every taluk and a control room, among other measures to monitor and to control the dengue spread.

"Dengue cases are on a rise in the state since January, two children have died due to dengue and there are reports of three to four deaths due to dengue every day and it is painful. There is fear among people across the state, but the government is not afraid yet," Ashoka said.

While speaking to reporters after visiting a government hospital here and meeting infected patients and doctors, he said, 13-14 per cent among the hundred samples checked are getting confirmed for dengue, and there are reports of more deaths among those suffering with comorbidities.

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"So controlling dengue is important.....the government should have constituted a taskforce in every taluk, set up a control room, ensured supply of medicines, which they have not done," he added.

Further stating that according to information that he has gathered more than two lakh people are infected by dengue in the state, Ashoka said, the government should bear the expenses of testing.

"The way we did free testing during COVID...I urge the government to immediately make testing free. Rs 600-Rs1,000 is being charged for testing, poor are unable to test," he said.

Pointing out that the government has increased taxes on everything, he said, "free testing may cost about Rs 10 crore, is the government unable to spend that much?" Noting that among those infected many are children, Ashoka said, probably the government has not observed this.

"The government should declare dengue an emergency situation and create alertness among the officials," he said.

He also stressed the need for cleanliness, mobilisation of ASHA and Anganwadi workers to keep a house-to-house check on those with dengue symptoms, setting up separate wards at hospitals for dengue cases, fogging to control mosquitos and to create awareness and assurance among the people who were panicking about the situation.

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Indore(PTI): Gujarat's wicketkeeper-batter Urvil Patel slammed the fastest T20 century by an Indian during his team's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Tripura here on Wednesday, reaching the three-figure mark in just 28 balls.

This comes exactly a year after he smashed the second-fastest hundred by an Indian in List-A cricket.

The 26-year-old Urvil bettered Rishabh Pant's record for the fastest T20 hundred by an Indian. The India wicket-keeper had blazed away to a 32-ball century against Himachal Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2018.

Urvil's ton is the second-fastest in T20 cricket, only behind Estonia's Sahil Chauhan, whose hundred against Cyprus came in 27 balls.

Opening the innings, Urvil struck seven fours and 12 sixes on his way to an unbeaten 113 off a mere 35 balls, as Gujarat completed a chase of 156 in 10.2 overs.

Earlier in the week, Urvil had gone unsold in the Indian Premier League player auction.

Exactly on this day last year, after being released by Gujarat Titans, Urvil scored an unbeaten 41-ball 100 for Gujarat in their Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Arunachal Pradesh in Chandigarh.

Urvil's century was the second-fastest by an Indian batter in List A cricket.