Mumbai, 24th Aug 2026: Monsoon fever risk has moved into the period when it has historically run highest, according to Fever Watch, PharmEasy’s daily fever risk indicator. After a relatively dry start to the season, the national risk score has risen from 47 in week one to 61 as of 12 August, while the number of cities reading HIGH has increased from one in mid-July to 10. Overall risk is now higher than at the start of the season in 186 of the 209 cities tracked by Fever Watch.
The shift has been accompanied by stronger rainfall and mosquito breeding conditions across the country. The national weather and breeding signal has risen from 48 to 87, while 14-day national rainfall has increased from approximately 35 mm at the start of the season to around 133 mm. Some cities have seen particularly sharp increases, including Karimnagar and Ramagundam in Telangana, Chandrapur in Maharashtra and Jaipur in Rajasthan.
The data also points to a less visible part of the monsoon fever picture: typhoid is currently the most-confirmed fever test across the four illnesses tracked by Fever Watch. Typhoid test-positivity stands at 25.5%, or approximately one in four tests, compared with 8.5% for dengue, 1.4% for malaria and 1.8% for chikungunya. While positivity for the three mosquito-borne fevers has declined compared with the same period last year, typhoid remains broadly stable.
Typhoid is also driving seven of the ten cities currently reading HIGH, highlighting that the monsoon fever landscape extends beyond mosquito-borne illnesses. Unlike dengue, malaria and chikungunya, typhoid is primarily associated with contaminated food and water, making safe drinking water, food hygiene and sanitation important precautions during the monsoon.Many times some of the typhoid tests can also indicate a false positive result, therefore diagnosis and treatment by a doctor is important.
Historical Fever Watch patterns indicate that overall fever risk typically remains elevated from August into the later monsoon months, while dengue test-positivity in the 2025 season continued to rise through the monsoon and peaked in late October. With the season now entering this period, PharmEasy is encouraging people to remain vigilant and take appropriate precautions.
“Every monsoon, fever is often dismissed as ‘viral’ or immediately associated with dengue. But our data shows that the picture is more complex. 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, using data to understand what is happening in their city and make more informed healthcare decisions.”
— Gaurav Verma, Chief Business Officer, PharmEasy
“Fever can be caused by several different infections, and symptoms alone may not always tell us which one it is. This season, typhoid is showing the highest test-positivity among the four fevers tracked by Fever Watch, which is a reminder not to assume that every monsoon fever is viral or mosquito-borne. If a fever persists, testing and medical evaluation can help identify the underlying cause and guide appropriate treatment, rather than relying on guesswork.”
— Dr. Avinav Gupta, Assistant Manager, PharmEasy
Where the country stands
As of 12 August 2026, 196 of 209 cities are at MODERATE risk, 10 are HIGH and three are LOW-MODERATE. Panaji currently records the highest overall risk score at 94, driven by dengue, followed by Bokaro (79) and Gwalior (78), both driven by typhoid.
The highest confirmed lab signals are 100 for typhoid in Gwalior and Amritsar, and for dengue in Panaji.
What people can do
Check your city’s daily Fever Watch risk and follow basic monsoon precautions:
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Clear stagnant water and use mosquito repellent.
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Drink safe water and maintain food and hand hygiene.
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If a fever persists or symptoms are concerning, consult a qualified healthcare professional rather than self-diagnosing.
What is Fever Watch?
Fever Watch is PharmEasy’s daily city-level monsoon fever risk indicator, designed to help people understand how fever risk is changing in their city and stay better prepared through the season. It tracks 209 Indian cities across four monsoon fevers — dengue, malaria, chikungunya and typhoid — and assigns each city a daily risk score from 0 to 100.
It combines three signals to build this score:
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Weather and breeding conditions: rainfall from NOAA CPC, and temperature and humidity from NASA POWER.
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Public search interest: search trends via Serpapi.
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Lab test-positivity: aggregate city-level data from PharmEasy Labs and its Partner Affiliates.
Fever Watch is a risk indicator, not a diagnostic tool. It does not represent case counts or predict whether an individual will fall ill. Approximately 90% of city reads are based on conditions and are held below the HIGH band unless supported by live lab data. Currently, 36 cities have live lab confirmation, which is required for a city to reach HIGH.
Lab figures represent aggregate city-level test-positivity trends and are shown only where at least 30 tests have been recorded. References to historical seasonal peaks describe past patterns, not forecasts of individual illness.
The 2026 season is tracked from 1 June, with 2025 used as the baseline. Figures in this release are based on data through 12 August 2026. Risk and weather/breeding comparisons cover weeks one to 11; early-season rainfall comparisons cover weeks one to four; and lab test-positivity comparisons cover complete weeks one to 10 and are volume-weighted.