COIMBATORE: Hospital admissions due to dengue fever have increased by 476 cases this year in Coimbatore district. While 1,325 cases were reported last year, 1,801 cases have been reported so far this year. Of the total cases, 849 were recorded within the city corporation limits. Apart from dengue, 5,641 fever cases were reported this year alone, according to health department officials.
A meeting regarding preventive measures for dengue and monsoon diseases with the departments concerned was held at the collectorate on Saturday. The meeting was chaired by Health Minister K G Arunraj and Backward Classes Welfare Minister K Sampath Kumar.
During the meeting, officials explained the status of dengue prevalence in Coimbatore. According to their report, compared to last year, dengue cases have increased this year, particularly within corporation limits.
Elaborating on the corporation data, officials said the dengue case load was 1,336 in 2023, which rose to 2,400 in 2024.
After consistent effort, it was brought down to 749 in 2025, but this year again it rose to 849 in the last nine months. This year, 124 cases were reported in January, 67 in February, 55 in March,76 in April,72 in May and 82 in June. After June, the case load increased again to three digits, with 157 cases reported in July and 171 cases in August.
Across Coimbatore district, the same trend reflects. In 2024, the case load was 4,494 (urban -2,958, rural -1,536); in 2025,1,325 cases (urban -860 and rural - 465). But in the current year,the case load has been recorded at 1,801 (urban -1,040 and rural -761) so far.
Outside Coimbatore Corporation limits, officials have identified a number of local bodies as hotspots for dengue. These include Karamadai and Gudalur municipalities, Annur, Dhaliyur and Periyanaickenpalayam town panchayats and Somayampalayam, Malumichampatti and Perur Chettipalayam village panchayats.
Explaining the preventive measures, officials from the corporation said they are intensively checking mosquito breeding and destroying the sources.
"We issue pamphlets to the public asking them to destroy mosquito breeding sources. When rainfall decreases, water supply will come down which automatically diverts people to store water which can lead to mosquito breeding. So the corporation has increased the frequency of water supply. Through door-to-door checking, we have removed more than 60 lakh containers that could encourage mosquito breeding," said a senior official.
He added that they are preparing a separate SOP for construction sites as part of dengue preventive measures, as construction sites are major sources for mosquito breeding. "In the last two months alone we have imposed Rs 35 lakh fine on various construction sites in this regard.
Besides, money plants grown in houses are playing a major role in larva breeding. So we have intensified door-to-door checking. Apart from this, we distribute Gambusia fish to destroy mosquito larvae and implement several initiatives like Operation Shield, Dengue Preventive League," the official said.
During the meeting, Minister Arunraj instructed officials to ensure proper chlorination of water sources and appoint an adequate number of DBC (Dengue Breeding Control) workers across the district.
Earlier, Minister Arunraj inspected dengue prevention measures taken by the health department and the CCMC in Sowbakya Nagar, ward 23 of the Corporation, a hotspot for dengue fever, as the area has reported around eight dengue cases.
