High mosquito density may lead to dengue outbreak, say experts
Nagpur: Public health experts warn that the
high mosquito density
in the city could trigger a major
dengue outbreak
in the coming weeks, especially since monsoon is expected to arrive as early as the first week of June.
According to a survey conducted by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) in March this year, mosquito density in Nagpur soared to an average house index of 49.76%, far above the permissible limit of 10%.
Experts say the high density could set the stage for a dengue surge once the rains begin.
"Last year, chikungunya overwhelmed the city as soon as the monsoon arrived and dengue took a back seat. With many people having developed immunity to chikungunya, dengue could dominate this year," said infectious disease specialist Dr Nitin Shinde.
Dengue cases have seen a dramatic increase in the city in the last few years, except for a dip in 2024, likely due to the Chikungunya wave.
"With mosquito density nearing 50%, it's not a question of whether dengue cases will rise — but when," said epidemiologist Dr Anand Thatte.
The theme of this year's National Dengue Day, which is observed on May 16, is 'Act Early,
Prevent Dengue
: Clean Surroundings, Healthy Living'. It calls upon citizens to take proactive measures before the rains arrive. "The goal is to stop mosquito breeding in its tracks and prevent dengue from gaining a foothold," said Dr Vinod Chauhan, district malaria officer of Gondia, which has seen a high number of cases in the past.
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"We need to treat this as a public health emergency in the making," said Dr Manish Jadhav, a physician. "We have just 15 days before the rains start — this is our window to act. Households, schools, offices, and neighbourhoods must come together to eliminate breeding grounds. If we delay this, we could see cases like in 2023 or worse," he said.
Doctors advised NMC to intensify fogging and anti-larval drives across high-risk areas. However, community health experts insist that community participation remains the key to prevention. "Eliminating
mosquito breeding sites
like stagnant water in coolers, flowerpots, broken vessels, and discarded tyres is the responsibility of common people, and not NMC," said Dr Sanjay Deshpande.
# STINGING STATS
Dengue Cases in Nagpur city
2019 – 626
2020 – 107 (Covid year)
2021 – 1,254
2022 – 2,470
2023 – 3,164
2024* – 206
2025** – 4 cases
(* high Chikungunya prevalence. **Monsoon yet to arrive)
Doctors' Prescription
- Eliminate mosquito breeding sites
- Maintain hygienic surroundings
- Use mosquito repellents and nets
- Report symptoms early, such as high fever and joint pain
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