18 September,2026 08:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Mumbai recorded a rise in malaria, officials said. Representational Pic/iStock/File
Mumbai has recorded a rise in malaria and H1N1 (Swine Flu) cases during the 2026 monsoon compared with the corresponding period last year, according to data released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) Public Health Department.
Comparative data covering June, July, August and up to September 15 shows that Malaria cases increased to 5,984 in 2026, compared with 4,304 during the same period in 2025.
H1N1 cases also recorded a sharp increase, rising to 488 this year from 65 in 2025.
However, several other diseases recorded a decline during the period.
Dengue cases fell slightly to 2,161 from 2,377, while Leptospirosis cases declined to 277 from 493. Gastroenteritis cases dropped to 2,050 from 2,412.
Chikungunya cases also saw a significant fall, declining to 59 from 427, while Covid-19 cases dropped to 162 from 677.
With Ganeshotsav 2026 celebrations underway in Mumbai, the civic body has intensified its disease prevention and public awareness measures across all municipal wards.
Information posters are being distributed to Ganesh mandals, while educational jingles on Dengue and Malaria prevention are being played to reach people attending large gatherings.
The BMC has also stepped up cleanliness drives and breeding-site destruction activities at municipal hospitals and maternity homes to reduce the risk of vector-borne diseases.
As part of its intensified surveillance programme, BMC healthcare workers surveyed 594,269 houses and more than 2.79 million residents between September 1 and 15.
During the exercise, 32,114 blood samples were collected.
Preventive medication for Leptospirosis was administered to 9,842 people, while 28 dedicated health camps were organised.
The civic body has also intensified its vector-control operations across the city.
Teams inspected more than 21,600 locations for breeding of Anopheles mosquitoes, which transmit Malaria, and detected 3,367 active breeding sites.
For Dengue-carrying Aedes mosquitoes, civic workers inspected nearly 469,000 potential breeding spots, including water drums, discarded tyres and plant trays. The exercise resulted in the detection of 11,776 breeding sites.
BMC teams removed 661 tyres and more than 22,000 other discarded items from rooftops and compounds to prevent water from collecting and becoming mosquito-breeding sites.
Fogging operations were also intensified as part of the mosquito-control campaign.
According to the civic body, fogging was carried out across 20,713 building premises and 321,716 slum structures.
Pest-control teams also carried out targeted rodent-control operations during early August, trapping or exterminating 1,390 rodents.
The BMC has identified clusters of H1N1 cases in several parts of Mumbai and intensified surveillance in these areas.
The affected wards include K-East, covering Andheri East and Marol; K-West, covering Andheri West and Juhu; H-West, covering Bandra West and Santacruz West; R-South, covering Kandivali; P-North, covering Malad; and S Ward, covering Vikhroli and Powai.
Leptospirosis clusters have been reported in H-East, R-North, K-East, K-West, M-East and F-North wards.
These include areas such as Santacruz East, Bandra East, Dahisar, Chembur, Matunga, Wadala and Sion.
Gastroenteritis clusters have also been identified in H-West, M-East, K-East, H-East, K-West and P-North wards.
The Mumbai civic body has urged residents to take basic precautions during the monsoon and festival period.
People have been advised to eliminate stagnant water around their homes, use mosquito nets and avoid wading through floodwater. Residents have also been urged to consume boiled water and follow good cough etiquette.
The BMC has advised people suffering from fever not to self-medicate and instead visit the nearest BMC health centre or Aapla Dawakhana for medical advice and treatment.
