Dengue season is back: 8 effective ways to protect your family from mosquito-borne diseases

Dengue and malaria cases have spiked this year, with Mumbai and Pune reporting sharp rises during the long monsoon. This guide offers eight ways to keep mosquitoes and mosquito-borne illnesses away from your home and family.

8 ways to protect yourself from dengue and malaria this season

Mosquitoes have been busy this season. Nationally, India recorded nearly 24,000 dengue cases and 31 deaths in just six months. Even Delhi, which usually sees the worst of it later in the year, clocked its highest monthly dengue count in September, with 121 fresh cases in a single month. South India alone accounted for over 63 percent of the country's dengue cases in the first half of 2026, with Tamil Nadu logging the highest number of infections at 7,511 and Kerala reporting the most deaths at 19.

With the monsoon and the post-monsoon months typically bringing the sharpest rise in mosquito-borne illnesses, here are eight practical ways to protect yourself:

Clear standing water in and around your home: Aedes mosquitoes, the ones responsible for dengue and chikungunya, breed in even small amounts of clean, stagnant water. Check coolers, flower pot trays, terrace drains, open water tanks, and discarded tyres or containers at least twice a week. Health officials repeatedly point to construction sites, scrap yards, and poorly drained terraces as major breeding hotspots in Indian cities.

Use repellents: Look for DEET, picaridin, citronella, and neem-based repellents for lighter use. For evenings outdoors, a higher-concentration DEET or picaridin cream or spray gives longer protection than natural options alone.

Sleep under a mosquito net or use one for young children: A net is one of the cheapest and most effective barriers, especially for infants and during power cuts when other devices stop working.

Be extra careful during dawn, dusk, and daytime hours: Malaria-carrying mosquitoes bite mostly at night, but Aedes mosquitoes that spread dengue and chikungunya are aggressive daytime biters, especially in the couple of hours after sunrise and before sunset. Keep this in mind if you are stepping out for a walk or if your children are playing outdoors.

Choose covered, loose clothing: Full-sleeved shirts and full-length pants reduce exposed skin. Lighter-coloured fabrics are less attractive to mosquitoes than dark shades, which is something to keep in mind if you are out during the day when Aedes mosquitoes are most active.

Fix your screens and seal gaps: A torn window screen, a gap under the door, or an uncovered ventilator is often the easiest way mosquitoes get indoors. Mesh screens, door seals, and covering ventilators with fine netting can make a real difference, particularly in ground-floor homes near drains or gardens.

Use coils and vaporisers: Mosquito coils and liquid vaporisers remain widely used across Indian households. They work reasonably well indoors, but ventilation matters, since burning coils in a completely closed room for hours is not ideal for air quality. Plug-in vaporisers are a slightly safer option for closed bedrooms overnight.

Know the warning signs and do not delay treatment: With dengue cases rising sharply after the monsoon in many states, it helps to know the symptoms: high fever, severe body aches, pain behind the eyes, headache, and fatigue. Doctors urge that you get tested early if you suspect infection, since dengue can escalate quickly if treatment is delayed. Avoid self-medicating with painkillers, and consult a doctor as soon as possible.

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(By Pratyusha Pan)