Mumbai: A 31-year-old man from Kalyan, Vilas Mhatre, became the first confirmed casualty of dengue fever in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) this monsoon season. Mhatre, a resident of Beturkar Pada in Kalyan, died at a private hospital on Thursday following complications from the mosquito-borne disease.
Mhatre was initially admitted to Rukminibai Hospital on July 4 after showing symptoms of dengue. As his condition deteriorated, doctors recommended he be shifted to Sion Hospital in Mumbai. However, the family opted to move him to a private healthcare facility in Kalyan, where he eventually succumbed to the illness. His death has sparked concerns among health officials as mosquito-borne infections are gradually rising across the MMR with the onset of the monsoon.
Several Measures Taken By KDMC To Prevent Mosquito Breeding Sites
The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) has since launched a local containment effort in Beturkar Pada. Fogging operations have been carried out in the locality and officials are surveying the area for mosquito breeding sites.
KDMC’s Additional Municipal Commissioner Harshal Gaikwad stated that the health department is actively working to contain the spread of the disease. “We are conducting widespread fogging and spreading awareness among citizens to prevent mosquito breeding in stagnant water,” he said as quoted by the Times of India.
Across the MMR, civic authorities have been witnessing an upward trend in mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue, malaria and chikungunya since the rains began in late May. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s latest health report, released last week, reveals a noticeable year-on-year increase in such diseases during the first half of 2025.
According to BMC data, dengue cases in Mumbai rose from 93 in January–June 2024 to 105 cases during the same period this year. While the numbers may still appear moderate, health experts warn that the trend is concerning as July and August typically see the highest surge in vector-borne infections.
Authorities are urging residents to take preventive measures, including eliminating stagnant water from their surroundings, using mosquito repellents, and seeking early medical attention if symptoms like high fever, body pain, or rashes appear.
Civic officials have also ramped up door-to-door inspections in vulnerable areas and are deploying health workers to spread information on dengue symptoms and prevention. As the monsoon advances, MMR’s municipal bodies are bracing for increased public health challenges in the weeks to come.
