BMC Fumigates Over 2 Lakh Mosquito Breeding Sites Since January 2024
Civic Body Reports Over 6,200 Dengue Cases Since January 2024, With Surge During Monsoon Season
Mumbai Steps Up Struggle Against Dengue with Growing Cases and Breeding Points
Mumbai, Feb 9, 2024 — In a determined bid to stop the alarming outbreak of dengue in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) fumigated and destroyed more than 2.17 lakh breeding places of Aedes mosquitoes since January 2024. The statistics, made public before National Dengue Day seen last Friday, point to the struggle against the vector-borne disease that presents critical public health concerns.
The civic body also recorded a total of 6,217 confirmed dengue cases between this period. Out of these, 5,906 were found in 2024 and another 311 since January 2025. The health officials pointed out that dengue cases usually peak during the monsoon season, and therefore, there is a need for ongoing preventive efforts.
As part of its stepped-up anti-dengue campaign, the BMC announced that as of the start of 2025, 25,169 breeding grounds have been found in the city. Moreover, 2,292 buildings and an unprecedented 27.19 lakh huts have been fumigated so far this year. To put these figures into perspective, in 2024, as many buildings as 5.9 lakh and as many huts as nearly 79.7 lakh were fumigated, giving an idea of the extent of the current campaign.
To create public awareness and involve the community, the civic body has come out with two mobile apps: Mumbai Against Dengue and Bhaag Machhar Bhaag. The first one gives detailed information on disease-spreading mosquitoes, their breeding sites, and preventive procedures. The second one has short awareness films in English, Hindi, and Marathi, including some with local celebrities, to make dengue prevention popular among the locals.
Signs of dengue typically consist of fever, chills, headache, joint ache, swelling, nausea, and rashes on the skin. In the most severe form, called Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF), these symptoms can progress to bleeding gums, epistaxis, and rashes under the skin, which require immediate medical intervention.
The BMC has released advisories asking residents to remove water stagnation from containers like tins, tyres, and coconut shells. Citizens are also requested to undertake one “dry day“ per week, when they must clean, empty, and dry out all water storage containers to avert mosquito breeding. Health officials state that early diagnosis and prompt treatment are key in controlling dengue cases successfully.
As the city battles on against dengue, people’s cooperation is still crucial towards making a healthier and safer Mumbai.
