New data reveals the risk of monsoon fever is high, more people testing for typhoid

Monsoon fever risk has moved into the period when it has historically run highest according to a new studyAfter a relatively dry start to the season the national risk score for the study conducted by PharmEasys Fever Watch indicator has risen from 47 in week one to 61 as of August 12 while the number of cities reading high has increased from one in midJuly to 10 Overall risk is now higher than at the start of the season in 186 of the 209 cities tracked by Fever WatchThe shift has been accompanied by stronger rainfall and mosquito breeding conditions across the country The national weather and breeding signal has risen from 48 to 87 while 14day national rainfall has increased from approximately 35 mm at the start of the season to around 133 mm Some cities have seen particularly sharp increases including Karimnagar and Ramagundam in Telangana Chandrapur in Maharashtra and Jaipur in RajasthanThe data also points to a less visible part of the monsoon fever picture typhoid is currently the mostconfirmed fever test across the four illnesses tracked by the indicator Typhoid testpositivity stands at 255 per cent or approximately one in four tests compared with 85 per cent for dengue 14 per cent for malaria and 18 per cent for chikungunya While positivity for the three mosquitoborne fevers has declined compared with the same period last year typhoid remains broadly stableTyphoid is also driving seven of the ten cities currently reading High highlighting that the monsoon fever landscape extends beyond mosquitoborne illnesses Unlike dengue malaria and chikungunya typhoid is primarily associated with contaminated food and water making safe drinking water food hygiene and sanitation important precautions during the monsoonMany times some of the typhoid tests can also indicate a false positive result therefore diagnosis and treatment by a doctor is importantHistorical patterns indicate that overall fever risk typically remains elevated from August into the later monsoon months while dengue testpositivity in the 2025 season continued to rise through the monsoon and peaked in late October With the season now entering this period PharmEasy is encouraging people to remain vigilant and take appropriate precautionsGaurav Verma chief business officer PharmEasy ldquoEvery monsoon fever is often dismissed as lsquoviralrsquo or immediately associated with dengue But our data shows that the picture is more complex This season typhoid is the mostconfirmed fever test and is driving seven of the ten cities currently at HIGH risk With our lsquoYou Think Itrsquos Viralrsquo campaign and Fever Watch we want to challenge that assumption and help people look beyond the obvious using data to understand what is happening in their city and make more informed healthcare decisionsrdquoDr Avinav Gupta assistant manager with the health platform shared ldquoFever can be caused by several different infections and symptoms alone may not always tell us which one it is This season typhoid is showing the highest testpositivity among the four fevers tracked by Fever Watch which is a reminder not to assume that every monsoon fever is viral or mosquitoborne If a fever persists testing and medical evaluation can help identify the underlying cause and guide appropriate treatment rather than relying on guessworkrdquoWhere India standsAs of August 12 196 of 209 cities are at Moderate risk 10 are High and three are LowModerate Panaji currently records the highest overall risk score at 94 driven by dengue followed by Bokaro 79 and Gwalior 78 both driven by typhoidThe highest confirmed lab signals are 100 for typhoid in Gwalior and Amritsar and for dengue in PanajiHeres what people can doCheck your cityrsquos daily risk and follow basic monsoon precautions1 Clear stagnant water and use mosquito repellent2 Drink safe water and maintain food and hand hygiene3 If a fever persists or symptoms are concerning consult a qualified healthcare professional rather than selfdiagnosing