Nearly 200 dengue cases confirmed in Doda district as outbreak resurfaces

Nearly 200 dengue cases have been confirmed in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, the highest count in four years. The microbiology lab at Government Medical College, Doda reported the figure as the outbreak resurges after the last wave in 2022, when the district recorded over 200 cases. A five‑member team of scientists from the Indian Council of Medical Research and the National Institute of Virology, Pune arrived on Tuesday to map hotspots and collect samples. The team, led by Dr Qaiser Farooq Dar of ICMR‑NIC North Zone, joined doctors from Government Medical College, Jammu who are probing the cause of the spread in a hilly area usually less prone to dengue. Chief Medical Officer Dr Vinod Sharma said the hospital sees three to four dengue patients each day, mainly from town neighborhoods where construction and other civil works have created standing water. Unprecedented rains recently left pools of water that serve as breeding sites for mosquitoes. The health department, together with the local municipality and civil administration, has drained the water and carried out fogging and spraying operations. Sharma noted that most patients do not report the typical joint pain and headache, prompting officials to send samples to ICMR‑NIV Pune to check for any change in the mosquito larvae. Authorities report no dengue cases in other district towns such as Bhaderwah or Thathri, but preventive measures are being taken across the area. ## Context Doda’s outbreak highlights how heavy rainfall and construction can create mosquito habitats even in regions previously considered low‑risk, underscoring the need for regular vector control during monsoon periods.