Dengue fever across India

The following states (cities) in India are reported outbreaks of dengue fever, including sporadic deaths:

• Punjab (Chandigarh, Rawalpindi) - 1,000 cases and 3 deaths; Bathinda is the worst-affected district.
• Gujarat (Ahmedabad) - 119 cases and one death in past 2 weeks.
• Maharashtra (Mumbai) - cases seeking medical attention doubled in past few weeks.
• Delhi - 1,259 cases; two new child deaths bring total deaths to 8.
• Rajasthan (Alwar) - large number of cases reportedly occurring.

Nationwide (including New Delhi), a total of 20,000 cases have been reported, an all time high during the past 5 years.

Advice

The peak of dengue fever season in India will occur soon. All travellers to areas where the dengue fever virus is active can reduce their risk of exposure by taking all necessary precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Many persons with dengue fever do not seek medical care and are not reported to health authorities. There may be many more cases in the community than the reports indicate.