Pune saw over 3,000 suspected cases of dengue since August this year: PMC data

A total of 4,493 suspected cases of dengue have been recorded by the civic health authorities this year. Of this, 1,062 were reported in August while 1,188 in September.

In October till now, as many as 796 suspected cases of dengue fever have been recorded by the PMC. (Representational image)

Over 3,000 suspected cases of dengue fever were recorded by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in the last three months (August-October) and authorities issued notices to defaulters in residential societies, commercial properties and construction sites, the civic body said Friday. Meanwhile, while a heavy prolonged spell of rain led to a post Diwali surge in the number of cases, doctors are predicting a dip in the number of cases over the next two weeks with the winter setting in.

A total of 4,493 suspected cases of dengue have been recorded by the civic health authorities this year. Of this, 1,062 were reported in August while 1,188 in September. In October till now, as many as 796 suspected cases of dengue fever have been recorded by the PMC.

According to a PMC report, the lab tests have confirmed at least 475 persons with dengue infection. Overall, 2,974 notices have been issued to societies and construction sites apart from commercial establishments asking why action should not be taken against them for having mosquito breeding sites.

The prolonged spell of rain in October has yet again led to waterlogging and according to Dr Sanjeev Wavare, assistant medical chief, PMC, the breeding of dengue-causing aedes aegypti mosquitoes continues at these sites.

“The civic administration is focussing on destroying mosquito-breeding sites and have appealed that patients with mild illness can be managed at home,” Dr Wavare said, adding that over Rs two lakh have been collected in terms of administrative fee from the organisations, including housing societies and others, where mosquito breeding sites were found. “We are taking several precautions, including container surveys, and destroying breeding sites,” Dr Wavare added.

Dr Rajesh Gadia, consulting physician at KEM hospital, who has been involved in dengue research and treatment for the last two decades, told The Indian Express that a post Diwali surge in the number of cases is being witnessed. “Most the patients reporting to the hospital are mainly from neighbouring areas of Pune like Baramati and Phaltan. Patients with dengue fever who have had a drop in platelet levels below 50,000 and have severe abdominal pain, weakness, vomiting and breathlessness should seek hospital admission for better treatment, he said.

“We are anticipating a dip in cases within two weeks as the cold weather temperatures are not conducive for breeding of the dengue-causing mosquitoes,” he said.

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Dr Piyush Chaudhari, infectious diseases consultant at Jehangir hospital, said due to the delayed retreat of monsoon, they continued to see a fair share of dengue cases in October too but the proportion of critical and complicated cases is less. “Those with symptoms of high fever, chills and pain around the eyes (retro-orbital pain) should get their dengue tests done immediately,” Dr Chaudhari advised.

According to Dr Amit Dravid, infectious diseases consultant at Noble hospital, the number of severe dengue cases has gone down. “However, we will have to wait and see what unfolds in the next ten days due to the heavy spell of rain,” Dr Dravid said, further cautioning about influenza illnesses in the coming winter months.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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