Malaria, chikungunya cases rise; dengue, gastro see dip: BMC report

Chikungunya also saw a rise, with 542 cases as of September 15 compared to 366 between January to September last year.

Dengue, however, saw a fall, with 2,724 cases between January and September 15, 2025 compared to 3,435 during the January-September period last year, and a modest increase from August’s 1979 cases in 2024 to 2319 in 2025.

Waterborne diseases such as gastroenteritis and hepatitis remained below previous years’ levels. Gastro cases dropped from 6,599 last year to 5,989 this year up to September 15, while August saw a decline from 6,133 in 2024 to 5,774 in 2025. Hepatitis reflected a mild increase with 913 cases this year as compared to 791 in 2024 for the January–September period. Covid-19 continued its downward trend, with 1,116 cases reported this year so far versus 1,837 at the same point last year, and August data also showing a decrease from 1,775 to 1,111.

“Mumbai’s rains bring a surge of illnesses due to flooding, humidity and overcrowding. Leptospirosis, gastroenteritis, dengue, fungal infections and asthma flare-ups are common. Prevention is key, safe water, fresh food, mosquito control and dry, ventilated spaces. Any fever with severe pain, vomiting or breathlessness needs urgent attention. Timely precautions can save lives,” said Dr Amit Saraf, director of internal medicine, Jupiter Hospital, Thane.

The BMC attributed these patterns to preventive actions including house-to-house fever surveys, anti-mosquito drives, and public advisories.

Over 4.7 lakh homes and more than 22 lakh residents were screened for fever during the first half of September, with vector control efforts targeting mosquito breeding in thousands of locations. Health teams also distributed prophylactic medication for leptospirosis and conducted cleanliness drives in hospitals to reduce risks.

BMC officials stated, “Between August and September 2025, cases of malaria and chikungunya rose, but the overall incidence dropped in September, consistent with trends observed last year.” Public health advisories emphasised removing stagnant water and ensuring hygiene to curb further infections during the remainder of the monsoon.

From the homepage

Chhattisgarh liquor ‘scam’: ED says ‘syndicate apex’ Chaitanya Baghel handled Rs 1,000 cr of proceeds

‘Rs 92 lakh and gold found’ during raids at ACS officer Nupur Bora’s house, Himanta says she profited from sale of ‘Hindu’s lands to Muslims’

UP village tense after 19-year-old chasing ‘cattle smugglers’ found dead