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Ludhiana dengue cases spike fivefold after September rains
According to official data, Ludhiana has logged 90 dengue cases so far this month, up from just 16 in August. In July, six cases were reported, while June and May saw only three each.
Heavy rainfall in the initial days of September has triggered a sharp surge in dengue cases across the district, with health officials reporting a fivefold rise compared to August.
According to official data, Ludhiana has logged 90 dengue cases so far this month, up from just 16 in August. In July, six cases were reported, while June and May saw only three each. This takes the district’s total count for the current season to 188 cases.
“This month saw heavy rains in the first two weeks. That has led to the rise in dengue cases,” a health official said on the condition of anonymity. The spike has also eclipsed last year’s numbers — September 2023 recorded just 35 cases, and the district had 81 cases by the end of that month.
This year, till mid-September, the cases had registered a fall compared to previous years and the health department aimed to curb the spread of the vector-borne disease.
During a visit to the district on May 10 to take stock of dengue preparations, health minister Balbir Singh had stated the goal was to reduce dengue cases by 90 per cent this year, following a 50 per cent reduction achieved last year compared to previous years. But over 300 mm of rain this month appears to have upended those plans.
Ludhiana had recorded 301 dengue cases till November last year.
Dengue is a viral disease spread by the bite of the Aedes mosquito. This mosquito breeds in stagnant clean water, often found in containers, coolers, discarded tyres and ground depressions. The health department says it carries out regular anti-dengue activities under the “Har Sukrawar, Dengue Te Vaar” campaign. The department has already inspected over 25 lakh homes across the district this season under the campaign.
