Tamil Nadu dengue cases fall for third consecutive year to 17,049

Tamil Nadu has recorded 17,049 dengue cases up to September 19, 2026, marking the third straight year that reported infections have fallen, according to data released by the State Health and Family Welfare Department.

The provisional tally for 2026, which covers only nine-and-a-half months, compares with 25,585 cases in 2025, 46,971 in 2024 and 56,863 in 2023. Reported dengue cases fell by 17% between 2023 and 2024, followed by a sharper 46% decline in 2025.

Deaths also show decline

The State reported nine dengue-related deaths up to September 19, 2026, as compared with 12 in 2025, 13 in 2024 and 12 in 2023.

Because the 2026 figure covers only the period up to September 19 and cannot be compared with the full-year figures of previous years, the data indicate a sustained decline in reported dengue cases, although the figures for 2026 could change over the remaining months.

What the data show

The year-on-year decline in reported cases and deaths provides an overview of the State's dengue burden, but the data do not establish the reasons for the decline.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection that can cause high fever, body pain and, in some cases, severe disease. Warning signs such as persistent abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, bleeding and extreme weakness require prompt medical attention.

Continued surveillance and measures to control the Aedes mosquito, which transmits dengue, remain important for prevention.

Source: The Hindu