Gujarat has recorded a significant decline in mosquito-borne diseases in 2026, with malaria cases falling 45%, dengue dropping 39.1%, and chikungunya declining 48.1% through epidemiological Week 33, compared with the same period in 2025, according to data released by the Gujarat Health Department on World Mosquito Day. Crucially, no deaths due to malaria or dengue were recorded during the period.

Key Numbers at a Glance

Malaria cases fell from 1,407 in the corresponding period of 2025 to 774 this year. Dengue infections declined from 1,293 to 788, while chikungunya cases dropped from 154 to 80. The state tested more than 1.11 crore blood samples for malaria through Week 33 of 2026 — up from 1.09 crore in the same period last year — indicating that the decline reflects genuine disease reduction rather than reduced testing.

Expanded Surveillance and Testing Capacity

The Gujarat Health Department has significantly expanded its diagnostic infrastructure. Dengue and chikungunya testing is now available at 42 hospitals affiliated with medical colleges. Through Week 33 of 2026, more than 83,000 serum samples were tested for dengue and more than 12,000 for chikungunya, bringing the combined diagnostic total to nearly 96,000.

This comes amid the monsoon season, when stagnant water creates conditions for mosquito breeding — historically the most vulnerable period for vector-borne disease outbreaks across Indian states.

House-to-House Campaign and Ground Operations

A two-phase house-to-house surveillance programme drove much of the progress. The first phase, conducted from 27 April to 6 May, achieved 89% coverage through fever surveillance, anti-larval activities, and health education. The second phase, from 1 to 10 July, deployed 19,558 teams and covered more than 6.51 crore people. That phase collected more than 2.57 lakh blood samples, identifying 28 malaria patients — all of whom received treatment.

Notably, the combined reach of over 6.51 crore people in the second phase alone represents a substantial share of Gujarat's total population, signalling an unusually intensive ground effort.

Mosquito Control: Breeding Sites, Fogging, and Biological Measures

Field teams eliminated more than 29.63 lakh mosquito breeding sites during house-to-house visits, while fogging was carried out in more than 3.21 lakh houses. In malaria-sensitive zones, more than one lakh people across 116 villages in 24 districts were covered during the first round of insecticide spraying; the second round began on 1 August.

The state also deployed biological control measures, releasing larvivorous fish at 5,024 permanent waterlogging sites across Gujarat by the end of July. These fish target mosquito larvae at breeding sites before they mature into adult mosquitoes — a method endorsed by public health experts as a sustainable, chemical-free complement to conventional larvicides.

To reinforce field-level surveillance during the monsoon, 497 vector-control teams were deployed across districts and municipal corporations. Officials said medicines, larvicides, and essential equipment had been kept adequately stocked, with disease status monitored on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

What This Means Going Forward

The World Health Organisation notes that many vector-borne diseases can be prevented through protective measures and community mobilisation — an approach Gujarat appears to have operationalised at scale. With the monsoon season ongoing, health authorities are expected to maintain elevated surveillance through the remainder of the transmission window. Whether the state can sustain these gains into 2027 will depend on keeping the surveillance infrastructure active beyond the seasonal peak.