Amid India’s ongoing battle against dengue, a survey has revealed that one out of every four families has experienced illness due to mosquito-borne diseases over the last three years. These families have become increasingly reliant on mosquito repellents because municipal bodies have not been effectively conducting fogging operations. The survey, conducted by LocalCircles, a community social media platform, encompassed 58,000 respondents in 327 districts. It indicated that 73 percent of the participants felt that their municipal corporations had not taken proactive measures in recent years to combat mosquito-borne diseases, even during the monsoon season.
As of October 17, India has reported 94,198 cases of dengue and 91 related deaths, according to government data. Kerala has recorded the highest number of cases at 9,770 and 37 deaths. The survey noted that only a few cities, such as Delhi and Mumbai, have engaged in proactive fogging efforts. Around 28 percent of respondents reported that they or a family member had fallen ill due to mosquito-borne diseases within the last three years. The data further revealed that 19 percent of respondents had multiple family members fall ill from vector-borne diseases, while 9 percent stated that at least one family member had been affected during the same period. Sachin Taparia, the founder of LocalCircles, emphasized that the mosquito problem persists in India every year, yet local civic bodies have not proactively addressed it. Although many states have reported varying numbers of dengue cases, ranging from 1,000 to 10,000, several cases still go unreported as individuals resort to home remedies for recovery. Additionally, the study highlighted a recent increase in cases of malaria and chikungunya.
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