By: IPP Bureau
Last updated : August 25, 2026 11:40 am
Typhoid currently has the highest test-positivity among dengue, malaria, chikungunya and typhoid, with positivity at 25.5%, or roughly one in every four tests
India’s monsoon fever risk has entered a historically high-risk period, with PharmEasy’s Fever Watchshowing a sharp rise in fever risk across cities and typhoid emerging as the most-confirmed fever among the four infections tracked by the platform.
According to Fever Watch data, the national fever risk score increased from 47 in the first week of the monsoon to 61 as of August 12, 2026. The number of cities classified as being at HIGH risk has also increased from one in mid-July to 10 currently.
Overall, fever risk is now higher than at the beginning of the season in 186 of the 209 cities monitored by Fever Watch.
The increase coincides with stronger rainfall and more favourable conditions for mosquito breeding. PharmEasy’s national weather and breeding signal has risen from 48 to 87, while 14-day cumulative national rainfall has increased from around 35 mm at the start of the season to approximately 133 mm.
Cities including Karimnagar and Ramagundam in Telangana, Chandrapur in Maharashtra and Jaipur in Rajasthan have recorded particularly pronounced increases in risk.
However, the data suggests that the monsoon fever burden is not limited to mosquito-borne diseases. Typhoid currently has the highest test-positivity among dengue, malaria, chikungunya and typhoid, with positivity at 25.5%, or roughly one in every four tests. This compares with 8.5% for dengue, 1.4% for malaria and 1.8% for chikungunya.
PharmEasy said positivity for dengue, malaria and chikungunya has declined compared with the corresponding period last year, while typhoid has remained broadly stable. Typhoid is currently driving seven of the 10 cities classified as HIGH risk.
Unlike dengue, malaria and chikungunya, typhoid is primarily associated with contaminated food and water, making access to safe drinking water, food hygiene and sanitation particularly important during the monsoon.
PharmEasy also cautioned that some typhoid tests can produce false-positive results and that diagnosis and treatment should therefore be guided by a qualified physician.
“Every monsoon, fever is often dismissed as ‘viral’ or immediately associated with dengue. But our data shows that the picture is more complex,” said Gaurav Verma, Chief Business Officer, PharmEasy. “This season, typhoid is the most-confirmed fever test and is driving seven of the ten cities currently at HIGH risk. With our ‘You Think It’s Viral?’ campaign and Fever Watch, we want to challenge that assumption and help people look beyond the obvious.”
Dr. Avinav Gupta, Assistant Manager, PharmEasy, said fever can have multiple infectious causes and that symptoms alone may not be sufficient to distinguish between them. He emphasised that persistent fever should prompt appropriate testing and medical evaluation rather than self-diagnosis.
As of August 12, 2026, 196 of the 209 cities tracked by Fever Watch were classified as MODERATE risk, 10 as HIGH and three as LOW-MODERATE. Panaji recorded the highest overall risk score at 94, driven by dengue, followed by Bokaro at 79 and Gwalior at 78, with typhoid driving the risk in the latter two cities.
The highest confirmed lab signals included a score of 100 for typhoid in Gwalior and Amritsar and 100 for dengue in Panaji.
PharmEasy advised people to take basic monsoon precautions, including eliminating stagnant water, using mosquito repellent, drinking safe water and maintaining food and hand hygiene. People experiencing persistent or concerning fever symptoms should seek medical evaluation rather than assume the illness is a routine viral infection.
Fever Watch is PharmEasy’s daily city-level monsoon fever risk indicator, covering 209 Indian cities and four infections — dengue, malaria, chikungunya and typhoid. The platform combines weather and mosquito-breeding conditions, public search trends and aggregate city-level laboratory test-positivity data to generate a daily risk score from 0 to 100.
The company stressed that Fever Watch is a risk indicator rather than a diagnostic tool and does not represent case counts or predict whether an individual will become ill. The 2026 season is being tracked from June 1, with the latest figures in the release based on data through August 12, 2026.