Municipal areas remain hotspots
*Fogging intensified in Jammu City
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Sept 13: Dengue cases are climbing in Jammu and Kashmir with 21 fresh infections reported on Friday, taking the Union Territory’s tally this year to 411. The outbreak has already claimed one life-an adult male from Rehari, Jammu, who succumbed on June 29 while being shifted from a private hospital to DMC Ludhiana after his attendants took him away against medical advice.
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Of the new cases, Jammu district accounted for 10, pushing its cumulative tally to 135. Kathua followed with six fresh infections (114 total), Samba added two (49 total), while Udhampur and Ramban recorded one case each. One case was traced to outside J&K. No new cases emerged from Kashmir, Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar or Reasi.
The day’s age-wise breakup showed 17 adult patients (14 males, 3 females) and 4 children (2 boys, 2 girls), underscoring the spread across age groups.
Within Jammu district, municipal areas remain hotspots. By September 12, these pockets had logged 93 cases, compared to 42 from non-municipal areas. Last year, by the same date, the district had registered 291 cases, including 235 from municipal zones. Experts stated urban sanitation gaps and stagnant water are key drivers.
So far in 2025, 9,736 dengue tests have been carried out in J&K, yielding 411 positives. In the same period in 2024, 539 cases had been confirmed from 8,389 tests. Officials stressed that while numbers are lower this year, September’s steady rise is a warning sign. The past week alone saw daily cases ranging from 13 to 37, with the highest spike on September 11.
Since January, 14 patients have been admitted across J&K hospitals, of whom 4 have been discharged, one left against medical advice, and 9 remain under treatment. The lone fatality was reported in June from Jammu’s Rehari locality.
Amid the surge, the Health Department and Jammu Municipal Corporation have launched aggressive fogging in city localities. Two rounds have been completed-the first in June-July and the second between September 2 and 12. The third round began Friday, covering both residential and commercial belts.
Health authorities have urged residents to clear stagnant water, use mosquito repellents and nets, and maintain household and community hygiene. Special surveillance and awareness drives are being mounted in high-risk urban clusters.
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