Gujarat records significant drop in mosquito-borne diseases amid intensified surveillance

Gujarat has recorded a substantial decline in malaria, dengue and chikungunya cases this year, with the state reporting a 45 per cent fall in malaria, 39.1 per cent in dengue and 48.1 per cent in chikungunya infections up to epidemiological Week 33 compared with the corresponding period in 2025.

According to data released by the Gujarat Health Department on World Mosquito Day, malaria cases fell from 1,407 in the corresponding period last year to 774 this year. In contrast, dengue cases declined from 1,293 to 788.

Chikungunya cases dropped from 154 to 80. No deaths due to malaria or dengue were recorded during the period.

The decline has come alongside expanded surveillance, testing, and mosquito-control measures across the state, including a house-to-house campaign that brought more than 6.51 crore people under surveillance during its second phase.

The state tested more than 1.09 crore blood samples for malaria up to Week 33 of 2025, detecting 1,407 cases.

In the corresponding period this year, more than 1.11 crore samples were tested, with 774 cases detected. Gujarat has also expanded diagnostic capacity for dengue and chikungunya.

Diagnostic centres at 42 hospitals affiliated with medical colleges are testing for both diseases.

Up to Week 33 this year, more than 83,000 serum samples for dengue and more than 12,000 for chikungunya had been tested, bringing the combined total to nearly 96,000.

The state's house-to-house surveillance programme was conducted in two phases. During the first phase, from April 27 to May 6, the programme achieved 89% coverage through fever surveillance, anti-larval activities, and health education.

The second phase, conducted from July 1 to 10, involved 19,558 teams and covered more than 6.51 crore people.

The exercise collected more than 2.57 lakh blood samples, identifying 28 malaria patients, all of whom received treatment.

The campaign has also focused on eliminating mosquito breeding grounds. House-to-house surveillance eliminated more than 29.63 lakh mosquito breeding sites, and fogging was carried out in more than 3.21 lakh houses.

In malaria-sensitive areas, more than one lakh people across 116 villages in 24 districts were covered during the first round of insecticide spraying.

The second round began on August 1. To strengthen field-level surveillance during the monsoon, the state deployed 497 vector-control teams across districts and municipal corporations.

The teams are conducting fever surveillance and anti-larval activities in areas considered vulnerable to mosquito-borne diseases.

The state has also turned to biological control measures, releasing larvivorous fish at 5,024 permanent waterlogging sites across Gujarat by the end of July.

The fish target mosquito larvae at breeding sites before they develop into adult mosquitoes.

"Medicines, larvicides and essential equipment had been kept adequately available, while the status of vector-borne diseases is being monitored on a daily, weekly and monthly basis," officials said.

The measures come during the monsoon, when stagnant water can create breeding sites for mosquitoes.

The World Health Organisation notes that many vector-borne diseases can be prevented through protective measures and community mobilisation.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by Education Post)