Hospitals in Pune City and Maharashtra State Overwhelmed with Thousands of Dengue and Chikungunya Infections

Medical News: Pune city and the rest of Maharashtra state in India have been facing an overwhelming surge in cases of dengue and chikungunya infections, resulting in hospitals reaching full capacity. According to the state health department, as of September 21, Maharashtra reported a staggering 12,223 cases of dengue viral fever infections and 19 related deaths. Compared to last year, when 10,602 cases and five deaths were recorded, the situation this year is alarming. Similarly, chikungunya cases have risen dramatically, with 3,259 reported cases in 2024, compared to just 790 in the corresponding period of 2023.


Hospitals in Pune City and Maharashtra State Overwhelmed with Thousands of Dengue
and Chikungunya Infections
 
Rising Cases Since August
The sudden rise in cases began in late August and continued through September, overwhelming hospitals in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. The dramatic increase has led to a shortage of both beds and medical staff, forcing many hospitals to cancel planned community health camps. This Medical News report will explore how this unprecedented surge has impacted healthcare in the state.
 
Due to the heavy influx of patients, private and charitable hospitals as well as medical colleges, which had scheduled community health camps in slums and rural areas, have had to cancel or delay these events. The camps planned for the last week of September in Pune city have been canceled due to the outbreak.
 
Government Orders to Conduct Health Camps
Prior to this outbreak, the government had issued orders requiring hospitals empaneled under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MPJAY), the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), and medical colleges to organize free community health camps. These facilities were instructed to hold health camps in slums and rural areas for a period of two months. Hospitals with over 100 beds were directed to organize 40 camps, while those with 50 to 100 beds were to hold 30 camps, and hospitals with less than 50 beds were to conduct 20 camps. However, the ongoing outbreak of vector-borne diseases has hampered these plans.
 
Surge in Coinfection Cases
As hospitals struggle to keep up with rising cases, medical experts are now warning of the possibility of patients being infected with both dengue and chikungunya simultaneously. Coinfections are rare but possible, and they can lead to more severe complications. Dr. Rajesh Kulkarni, a pediatrician at YCM Hospital in Pimpri, warned that treating coinfections could complicate patient care.
 
“Chikungunya and dengue coinfection can put the patient at risk of delayed or disrupted dengue-specific supportive care,” he said. He explained that some medications used to treat chikungunya, such as NSAIDs, could dangerously lower platelet counts in patients who are also suffering from dengue.
 
Dr. Kulkarni added that while treatment for both diseases remains largely symptomatic, patients with coinfectio ns experience more intense pain. "These patients may suffer from the severe body aches associated with dengue, combined with the joint pain characteristic of chikungunya. The result is a highly painful experience," he said.
 
Coinfection Rates and Testing
According to Dr. Awanti Golwilkar-Mehendale, the director and chief of laboratory at AG Diagnostics in Pune, the rate of dengue and chikungunya coinfections is relatively low, occurring in about 1-2.5% of tested cases. "Both viruses are transmitted through mosquito bites, so it is possible for a mosquito to carry both diseases if it bites two infected individuals," she explained. Dr. Golwilkar-Mehendale emphasized the importance of PCR tests in diagnosing coinfections, as the symptoms of both diseases are similar, making it difficult to determine the exact cause without proper testing.
 
Coinfections can present with compounded symptoms, such as fever, joint pain, and body aches. Chikungunya typically causes more prolonged joint inflammation, while dengue often leads to a significant drop in platelet counts. Therefore, careful monitoring of platelet levels and appropriate symptomatic treatment are critical in managing these cases. In some instances, cross-reactivity between antibodies can confuse diagnosis, but PCR tests can help confirm the presence of active infections from both viruses.
 
Government Response and Challenges
The rapid surge in dengue and chikungunya cases has prompted the government to take swift action. The National Center for Vector-Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC) issued updated guidelines for managing chikungunya, and the Maharashtra government has set up a rapid response team. Dr. Radhakrishna Pawar, the Joint Director of Health for Maharashtra, explained, “There is no specific antiviral drug for chikungunya, so managing cases properly is crucial. We have urged clinicians to send samples for genome sequencing to better understand why the disease is so prevalent in recent months.”
 
Some physicians in Pune have reported rare but serious complications from chikungunya, especially in older patients. These include neurological issues such as encephalitis, which have required intensive care interventions in severe cases. Dr. Ameet Dravid, an infectious disease consultant, noted that while neurological complications are rare - occurring in only about 0.1% of cases - they can be life-threatening and often require expensive care.
 
Mosquito Prevention and Control Measures
In an effort to curb the spread of both dengue and chikungunya, authorities in Pune have intensified mosquito prevention and control measures. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has ramped up fogging activities and identified over 2,000 mosquito breeding sites across the city in homes, offices, colleges, and public spaces. According to a recent PMC report, 266 confirmed cases of dengue and 243 cases of chikungunya have been recorded, with the majority occurring in August and September.
 
Neighborhoods like Yerwada-Kalas-Dhanori and Ghole Road-Shivajinagar reported the highest number of cases, prompting increased mosquito control efforts in these areas. Despite these efforts, the surge in infections shows no signs of slowing down.
 
Oropouche infections also debuts in India while Chandipura virus still in circulation.
According to certain anonymous sources, another mosquito-borne viral disease called Oropuche fever has also made its debut in parts of India including Maharashthra but local doctors do not have the necessary diagnostics to identify the disease yet and many are even unaware of the disease.

For more about Oropouche fever, refer to the link below:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-oropouche-virus-makes-a-resurgence-22-cases-in-bolivia-possibly-behind-rise-in-unexplained-fevers-and-platelet-dips-in-india
 
Meanwhile, the Chandipura virus that is also another virus that is mosquito and insect borne is also still circulating in various parts of the country, further complicating diagnostics and making it hard for doctors to ascertain what is infecting sick individuals and almost all four diseases have similar symptoms. The Chandipura virus made its reemergence in India in July 2024.
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/chandipura-vesiculovirus-outbreak-emerges-in-gujerat-india-killing-4-hospitalizing-2-more-cases-expected
 
Conclusion
The outbreak of dengue and chikungunya in Pune and Maharashtra has placed significant strain on healthcare facilities, leading to the cancellation of community health camps and a shortage of beds and medical staff. Coinfections of both diseases, although rare, add another layer of complexity to patient care. The government has responded by setting up rapid response teams and urging clinicians to contribute samples for research, while stepping up mosquito control measures across the state. However, more action is needed to manage this public health crisis effectively.
 
For the latest on the disease outbreak situation in India, keep on logging to Thailand Medical News.
 
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