Pune: Suspected Dengue Death Of 9-Year-Old Prompts PMC To Step Up Surveillance

Pune: A day after Pune reported its first suspected dengue death of the year, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Friday announced a series of preventive measures, including intensified mosquito-control drives, free diagnostic tests, dedicated hospital beds and stricter monitoring of mosquito-breeding sites.

The measures follow the death of a nine-year-old girl from Khese Park in Lohagaon, who died at Ruby Hall Clinic on October 18, within 48 hours of being admitted to the hospital. Her death will be treated as a suspected dengue fatality until the civic health audit committee confirms the cause. The civic body has sought her medical records and test reports from the hospital for further investigation.

According to the PMC, Pune recorded 2,413 dengue cases between January 1 and October 20, 2026, highlighting the continuing public health challenge posed by mosquito-borne diseases.

As part of its preventive drive, civic teams visited approximately 14 lakh homes and inspected 28,31,386 containers and water-storage points. Aedes mosquito larvae were detected in 18,885 containers across 13,000 homes. The corporation issued notices to 2,664 properties and collected penalties amounting to ₹6.3 lakh.

At a review meeting chaired by Additional Municipal Commissioner Pavneet Kaur, officials assessed hospital preparedness, diagnostic facilities and measures to prevent mosquito breeding.

The PMC said rapid diagnostic kits (RDKs) for dengue testing had been made available free of cost at all its dispensaries. Free confirmatory tests are also being facilitated at sentinel centres at Dr Naidu Hospital, Dr Kotnis Hospital and Kamala Nehru Hospital.

Private hospitals have 8,401 beds, including 670 intensive care unit (ICU) beds, available for dengue patients, while civic hospitals have 333 beds, including six ICU beds. Officials said approximately 50% of the available beds were vacant. Dr Naidu Hospital has reserved 50 beds exclusively for dengue patients, of which 10 to 15 are occupied daily. Treatment at the hospital is free.

The civic body has directed hospitals to ensure immediate treatment for patients with severe symptoms and made mosquito nets mandatory in dengue wards. Government and private hospitals have also been instructed to register patient details on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) to prevent duplicate entries.

For vector control, officials have been asked to prioritise high-incidence areas, conduct targeted fogging inside patients’ homes and adjoining enclosed areas, and regularly use biological larvicides in stored water.