Keralam has been witnessing a significant rise in viral fevers, mosquito-borne diseases and waterborne….
.... Infections since the Onset of the Monsoon '
Calling for Urgent action on monsoon related epidemics, our Community Health expert *Dr. Natresh Purohit raises a timely Alarm for the Health Administrators in the Country!
Thiruvananthapuram / New Delhi : The state of Keralam has been witnessing a significant rise
in viral fevers, mosquito-borne diseases, and waterborne infections since the onset of the monsoon . The state has recorded a 19% increase in viral fever cases since June 1 compared to last year (2025) during the monsoon period. According to the official data from the state health department the number of dengue cases has risen by nearly 20%, while diarrhoea cases have increased by 38% said Dr. Naresh Purohit, Advisor, National Vector- Borne Disease Control Programme.
Voicing his concern to th
e reporters here on the abrupt upward trajectory of dengue cases, renowned Epidemiologist Dr Purohit stated that Dengue cases increased from 3,120 last year to 3,742 this year, marking a 19 % rise. However, the number of dengue-related deaths remained unchanged at 9 in both years.
Between June 1 and July 15, 2025, a total of 4,00,326 people sought treatment for viral fever. During the corresponding period in 2026, the figure climbed to 4,78,988.
He averred that waterborne and foodborne diseases have also shown an upward trend. Diarrhoea cases rose from 9
0,379 to 1,24,833, while influenza cases more than tripled, increasing from 1,059 to 3,310. Noted medic pointed that the sharpest rise was seen in shigella infections, which surged from 24 cases in 2025 to 285 in 2026.
Dr. Purohit has called upon the Health Administration machinery in the State and elsewhere in the country to quickly combat these emergencies, in the monsoon season before these go out of control.
Meanwhile, the state reported a decline in leptospirosis (rat fever) and hepatitis A. Leptospirosis cases dropped from 589 to 509, with deaths falling from 41 to 27. Hepatitis A cases decreased from 1,834 to 1,140, while deaths declined from 13 to 8, he averred.
*Dr. Narresh Purohit-MD, DNB, DIH, MHA, MRCP(UK), is an Epidemiologist, 
and Advisor-National Communicable Disease Control Program of Govt. of India, Madhya Pradesh and several state Health organizations. He’s the Principle Investigator – Association of Studies In Behavioural Science), Dr. Purohit is also Advisor-National Mental Health Program, Kidney Care and chief Investigaor to Hospitals Management Association of India.
