Mumbai: Mumbai has recorded two malaria deaths this monsoon, with cases rising to 9,298 so far this year. The 2026 tally is already 91.5% of the 10,163 cases reported through all of 2025, according to state health department data. This year’s two fatalities come after three consecutive years without a death.According to data from National Center for Vector Borne Diseases Control, malaria cases in Mumbai have doubled since 2022, when the city recorded 3,985 infections, climbing to 10,163 in 2025 — a 155% increase. The caseload, however, remains below the 2004 peak of 14,756 cases and 23 deaths.Civic officials have attributed the rise partly to better surveillance. But activists and corporators have linked it to the city’s massive infrastructure push, pointing to stagnant water at construction sites and poor drainage as potential breeding grounds for malaria-spreading Anopheles mosquitoes.Doctors have flagged another concern: malaria appears to be behaving differently this year. Dr Gautam Bhansali of Bombay Hospital, where malaria admissions continue, said patients were experiencing prolonged fever. “This year, patients continue to have high fever for almost five days, as against previous years when fever would subside within two days of starting anti-malarial treatment. Due to the high fever, many have needed admission,” he said.BMC health committee chairman and BJP corporator Harish Bhandgire played down the possibility of a citywide outbreak, saying cases were concentrated in pockets such as Dongri, Sion and Parel. “Water pipeline leakages could sometimes contribute to breeding, though that is only one of several possible reasons,” Bhandgire said. Civic teams from the health, pest control and maintenance departments are working to identify and eliminate breeding spots, he added.Former Congress corporator from Dahisar Sheetal Mhatre, who was diagnosed with dengue on Aug 18, questioned BMC’s focus on major infrastructure projects amid a rise in mosquito-borne diseases.Mhatre alleged that the civic body was prioritising infrastructure over basic services such as healthcare and sanitation. “There are so many cases of malaria and dengue that it is surprising to see what has changed over the past few years, when the civic body was doing so well and focusing on measures such as fumigation,” she said.She also said poorly planned road levels in some areas were contributing to waterlogging and creating mosquito-breeding grounds.Kurla corporator and Congress group leader in BMC Ashraf Azmi flagged stagnant water at infrastructure sites as another potential breeding ground.“Currently, there is no SOP specifying how long water can remain at infrastructure sites. In some cases, water remains stagnant for a long time, giving mosquitoes enough time to breed,” he said.Azmi called for a clear protocol and stricter monitoring of such sites. He said civic staff monitoring air pollution at infrastructure projects should also be empowered to act if water remains stagnant beyond a stipulated period.Malaria in MumbaiYear———Cases———Deaths2020———–5,015———02021———–5,162———02022———–3,985———22023———–7,319———02024———–7,939———02025———–10,163——–02026* —9,298———-2(*Till Sept)
