India has seen 49,573 dengue cases and 42 deaths from this mosquito-borne illness up to August this year, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Officials shared these updates during a key meeting in New Delhi on Monday, briefing Union Health Minister JP Nadda on the latest dengue situation.
In the national capital, Delhi reported 964 dengue cases until August 31—down from 1,215 cases in the same period last year. But things aren’t all calm in the nearby National Capital Region (NCR) states. Uttar Pradesh logged 1,646 cases, Haryana saw 298, and Rajasthan had 1,181. Looking back, India faced a tougher year with 233,519 dengue cases and 297 deaths in 2024 overall.
Minister Nadda pointed out that dengue numbers remain low right now, but he warned states to stay on high alert for any sudden spike. “The rainy season has dragged on, and waterlogging in many spots could make things worse,” he said, urging state governments to double-check their dengue prevention plans.
The high-level meeting focused on reviewing the dengue outbreak situation, checking how ready municipal bodies, hospitals, and states are, and spotting weak spots in tracking cases, treating patients, and controlling mosquitoes. Nadda stressed the need to “get ahead of any potential epidemic” and pushed for special awareness drives in schools, worker camps, and high-risk dengue hotspots.
To boost dengue preparedness in Delhi and NCR, the minister laid out clear action steps. He called for stronger mosquito control efforts, like clearing or treating water-holding containers after floods recede and using fogging with insecticides in areas with rising fever reports. Hospitals must gear up too—setting aside dedicated wards, ensuring enough beds, blood supplies, tests, medicines, and even insecticides. He also wants alerts to go out to Sentinel Surveillance Hospitals and both public and private facilities.
On a positive note, officials updated Nadda about India’s National Strategy for Dengue Prevention and Control, rolled out nationwide including in Delhi and NCR. This plan, called the ‘Octalogue,’ builds on eight key areas: surveillance, case management, vector control, outbreak response, training programs, public awareness campaigns, teamwork across sectors, and ongoing monitoring.
The government has already jumped into action with dengue advisories, regular high-level checks, training for better case handling, free diagnostic tests, community drives to spread awareness, coordination between ministries, and funding support through the National Health Mission. With monsoon woes lingering, staying vigilant could keep dengue cases from surging this season.
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