A new survey has revealed that a majority of Indians now see mosquito-borne illnesses like malaria and dengue as year-round threats rather than diseases limited to the monsoon.
The study, conducted by market research firm YouGov for household insecticide brand Goodknight, found that 81% of respondents in West India believe dengue and malaria can occur anytime. The sentiment was strongest in the East (86%), followed by the North and South (80% each).
Experts point to climate change, rapid urbanisation, and favourable breeding conditions for mosquitoes as the driving forces behind this perception. India reported over 2.3 lakh dengue cases last year, according to the National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control (NCVBDC).
“Mosquito-borne diseases are no longer seasonal. The rise in year-round transmission, fuelled by climate change and urbanisation, is a worrying trend,” said Dr. Kirti Sabnis, Infectious Disease Specialist, Fortis Hospital, Mulund.
The survey also noted that 95% of Indian parents are more careful about product safety after becoming parents, with South India leading at 97%.
With World Mosquito Day observed on August 20, experts and public health advocates are stressing the importance of safe, regulated repellents and avoiding unapproved alternatives such as illegal incense sticks, which may carry health risks.
Goodknight recently announced a new formulation, Renofluthrin, claimed to be India’s first indigenously developed patented molecule for mosquito control.
