Dengue fever in India - bi-weekly summary

There is extensive transmission of dengue fever in India at present. The following states and localities in particular continue to report significant transmission of this virus:

• Tamil Nadu - Chennai City reports 5 deaths.
• Uttarakhand - city of Dehradun most affected.
• Delhi - almost 400 new cases every week with 18 deaths.
• Punjab - Sangrur District affected.
• Maharashtra - 3 deaths.
• Haryana - epidemic situation described; affected cities include Ambala, Panchkula and Gurgaon.

Advice

The absence of reports from other states does not mean that there is no dengue fever transmission there. The risk of exposure will vary from place to place and may be high in many localities.

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.