October sees surge in vector-borne diseases in Pune

The occurrence of unusually high temperatures in October aligned with an increase in diseases transmitted by vectors. Within a single month, both the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations reported the highest number of these cases this year.

It is worth noting that the actual figures may be significantly higher, as doctors from private hospitals informed that October witnessed the highest number of admissions related to these diseases in city medical facilities. The PMC building is surrounded by similar conditions, with a polluted river and heaps of garbage serving as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

According to official records, in October alone, PMC witnessed 759 suspected and 51 confirmed cases of dengue, out of a total of 2,702 suspected and 207 confirmed cases reported this year until November 4. Additionally, the city recorded 31 confirmed cases of chikungunya.

No cases of malaria have been reported within the jurisdiction of PMC In October, PCMC documented 2,438 cases of suspected dengue and 81 cases that were confirmed. This brings the total number of suspected dengue cases to 9,766 and confirmed cases to 238 as of November 6.

Additionally, the civic body reported 42 suspected cases of chikungunya this year, with 17 cases being reported in October. PCMC has also recorded 17 confirmed cases of malaria and over 1.23 lakh suspected cases, out of which more than 16,000 were tested in October. Stagnant water, particularly at construction sites, becomes an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Laborers are frequently exposed to these conditions, leading to multiple infection cases originating from a single construction site in areas like Warje, Pimpri-Chinchwad, and others. Additionally, the temperature during October was higher than anticipated, resulting in increased humidity, which is conducive to mosquito breeding.

Furthermore, many individuals delay seeking treatment and consequently arrive at the hospital in a critical condition. As a result, there have been several severe cases requiring hospital admission due to dengue and chikungunya. The number of patients visiting the outpatient department (OPD) experienced a rise in October.