Close to 500 dengue cases in August: PMC pulls up 4 labs over incomplete patient information

Pune's civic health department has issued warnings to four laboratories, alleging that they failed to provide full patient details when testing for dengue and chikungunya. These diseases are required by law to be reported. In August alone, 1,155 suspected dengue cases were reported by the Pune Municipal Corporation, although the exact number of confirmed cases remains unknown.

The civic authorities have repeatedly asked establishments to assist in efforts to prevent mosquito breeding. Two deaths due to dengue have been reported, and the district death audit committee is reviewing the information to confirm the cause of death. With weather conditions favorable for mosquito breeding, Additional Municipal Commissioner Pavneet Kaur has directed all departments of the Pune Municipal Corporation to locate and eliminate potential breeding sites before the end of the month.

A meeting held on August 31 brought together heads of various departments at the Pune Municipal Corporation. Dr. Rajesh Dighe, Assistant Health Officer, presented a detailed ward-wise analysis of dengue, chikungunya, and malaria cases over the past three years. Kothrud and Nagar Road-Wagholi recorded the highest number of dengue cases, with 121 and 102 cases respectively.

In 2024, Pune recorded 4,958 dengue cases, whereas 2,391 cases were recorded in 2025. Dr. Dighe has issued guidelines to identify and eliminate mosquito breeding sites, emphasizing the importance of community participation in vector-borne disease prevention. They discovered mosquito larvae in unsealed areas around a tank near a prominent school in the cantonment area, highlighting the need for proper solid waste disposal.

Audio messages will be played on garbage collection vehicles to raise awareness about preventive measures against vector-borne diseases. The anti-encroachment department was instructed to ensure that seized materials do not accumulate rainwater, which could serve as mosquito breeding grounds.