Redcliffe Labs data shows rising fever positivity across India as monsoon intensifies

An analysis of more than 1 lakh fever-related tests conducted across 200+ cities between May 1 and August 23, 2026, recorded over 20,000 positive results with overall positivity rate of around 22%

India’s fever landscape is showing a significant shift as the monsoon progresses, with diagnostic data from Redcliffe Labs indicating rising testing volumes and increasing positivity across cities, including several high-positivity clusters outside the country’s major metropolitan centres.

An analysis of more than 1 lakh fever-related tests conducted across 200+ cities between May 1 and August 23, 2026, recorded over 20,000 positive results, translating to an overall positivity rate of around 22%.

While Delhi, Mumbai and Noida accounted for some of the highest testing volumes, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh emerged as prominent regional hotspots, with several cities recording substantially higher positivity rates.

At the city level, Ghazipur recorded nearly 74% positivity, the highest in the analysis, followed by Ambedkar Nagar at around 66%. Unnao recorded positivity above 50%, alongside an approximately two-fold increase in testing volume within a week.

Among higher-volume cities, Varanasi recorded around 52% positivity, while Lucknow reported approximately 43%.

The analysis also points to a sharp increase in fever-related testing during August. Weekly testing volumes rose nearly eight-fold between the first week of May and the third week of August. 

The increase was sustained rather than driven by a single spike, with the network recording five consecutive weekly highs during the last two months.

The data indicates particularly strong trends for typhoid and dengue. Dengue positivity has increased nearly 12-fold since May, while typhoid has remained the most consistent high-burden signal, with positivity staying above 36% during the period.

Uttar Pradesh records nearly 40% positivity

Among states with significant testing volumes, Uttar Pradesh recorded positivity of nearly 40%, followed by Madhya Pradesh at around 39% and Maharashtra at approximately 29%.

The findings highlight a distinction between testing volume and positivity. While large metropolitan areas may account for greater absolute testing numbers, smaller and emerging urban centres are recording some of the highest positivity rates.

The data also illustrates how rapidly fever patterns can change at the city level. In Srinagar, positivity increased from around 12% to nearly 50% in a single week, while testing volumes rose approximately three-fold.

Cuttack also recorded positivity of around 50%, while several cities across Uttar Pradesh experienced rapid increases.

These city-level changes, according to Redcliffe Labs, demonstrate why cumulative national or regional figures may not fully capture emerging local trends.

Dr Sonal Saxena, Director, Lab Operations, Redcliffe Labs, said the data indicates that the fever landscape is becoming increasingly dynamic as seasonal conditions change.

“The important signal is not simply that more people are being tested, but that we are seeing high positivity emerge across cities that may not traditionally be viewed as the first indicators of a wider seasonal surge,” she said.