1,500 Dengue Cases and 206 Leptospirosis Cases Reported in Tamil Nadu in January: Health Department

The Tamil Nadu Public Health Department has reported a surge in fever-related illnesses across the state, with 1,500 dengue cases and 206 cases of leptospirosis (rat fever) recorded in January alone, according to official data.

Health officials said mosquito control activities were affected after local body sanitation workers were reassigned to government programmes such as “Ungaludan Stalin” and the special voter list revision drive, without the recruitment of additional staff. This, they noted, disrupted regular anti-mosquito operations and contributed to the rise in dengue cases across several districts.

In addition to dengue and leptospirosis, the department reported 43 cases of chikungunya and nine cases of malaria during the month. While no deaths were recorded from these illnesses in January, authorities said preventive and containment measures have been intensified statewide.

Public Health officials also shared last year’s statistics, stating that 25,521 people were affected by dengue in 2025, resulting in 12 deaths. During the same period, 321 malaria cases were reported, with two fatalities.

Officials noted that fever-related infections typically begin to decline after March. They urged the public to seek medical attention promptly if symptoms appear and to maintain hygiene by ensuring that stagnant water does not collect in and around homes, as this helps prevent mosquito breeding.