Goa logs drastic fall in dengue in July, 13 cases against 81 in 2024

Panaji: After June, July also proved to be easy for the health services in tackling dengue cases. Goa reported 13 incidents of dengue in July, compared to 81 during the same month last year. June 2025 reported just three fewer cases — 10 in total.

Five of these cases were reported at Navelim (three from a single family where the mosquito was found breeding in their own house), two each at Balli, Shiroda and Pernem, and one each at Mapusa and Siolim. There have been no suspected dengue deaths to date.

Goa’s dengue cases have seen a significant decline between Jan and July when compared to last year’s vector season. The state reported 56 cases during the first seven months of the year compared to 257 cases for the same period last year. Better systems in place for dealing with the spread of the vector-borne disease, as well as a less aggressive monsoon are likely to have kept the numbers low, but the health services are not willing to take things lying down.

Dr Kalpana Mahatme, in charge of the state’s vector-borne disease control programme, said the festive period of Ganesh Chaturthi will be a testing time as people visiting their native places may abandon the measures they otherwise take to contain the breeding of dengue mosquitoes. Mahatme appealed to the people not to leave their water storage vessels uncovered during their absence. “Normally, people store water fearing there won’t be any when they return after Chaturthi,” she said. “They can continue to store water, but they must make sure the water is covered with an airtight lid so that mosquitoes cannot enter to lay eggs,” she said.

Similarly, relatives in villages anticipating the arrival of family for the celebration of Chaturthi also tend to store water and must follow the same precautions, she said. The health services have also appealed to people, especially women who are busy with several duties during the festive season, not to ignore any fever or take it lightly.

“Many just take paracetamol and go on working, so we request them to go to the nearest health centre to get themselves checked to rule out dengue, instead of waiting till their condition worsens,” she said.

When children and the elderly have a fever, their cases should be taken more seriously, she said.

For the first time this year, the health services also issued SOPs to housing societies and the KTC to ensure no mosquitoes breed in areas under their purview.

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