MUMBAI, July 16 -- The BMC's latest monsoon report issued on Tuesday revealed that Mumbai's malaria cases have already surpassed last year's seven-month tally by mid-July itself, with 3,490 cases reported between January and July 14, 2025, compared to 2,852 cases in almost the same period in 2024. Doctors attributed the surge to intermittent rainfall and the early onset of the monsoon, which created ideal conditions for mosquito breeding. The city also saw a sharp rise in chikungunya cases, which tripled to 179 from 46 last year, even as dengue, leptospirosis, gastroenteritis, hepatitis A & E, and Covid-19 cases declined. A senior BMC official said that the early onset of the monsoon had led to more mosquito-breeding and an increase in vector-borne diseases. To prevent citizens from contracting these, the civic body has launched the 'Zero Mosquito Breeding Campaign', under which directives have been issued to ensure the prevention of mosquito-breeding within the premises of civic hospitals and other offices and to promote the use of bed nets. Doctors attributed the escalation in vector-borne diseases to an increase in breeding spots owing to the early monsoon and climate-change-triggered humidity among other environmental factors. "The average temperatures have changed, increasing humidity levels, which has led to an increase in mosquitoes and malaria," said Dr Lancelot Pinto. Speaking of chikungunya, the pulmonologist-epidemiologist highlighted that the spike in cases was a matter of concern, as the disease has long-term effects such as joint pain, and has no specific antiviral remedy. Dr Ashit Hegde, consultant in internal medicine and intensive care, pointed out a vital factor: the stagnant water pools around construction sites. "This needs to be immediately looked into for malaria cases to reduce," he said. Dr Hegde added that malaria, however, had been around throughout the year as compared to the other monsoon-related diseases, and the reasons for this needed to be looked into by the health authorities. The BMC has now issued advisories, recommending steps such as cleaning stagnant water pools in and around homes, avoiding clutter anywhere, using mosquito nets, drinking boiled water and avoiding street food. It has also warned citizens not to ignore fevers. At the state-run JJ Hospital, the dermatology outpatient department (OPD) has recorded a 1.5-fold increase in fungal cases since the rains began. "From 60 to 65 patients daily, the number has now risen to 90 to 100," said Dr Pralhad Rathod, head of dermatology. "These infections typically affect areas of the body that retain moisture, such as the groin, underarms and between the toes and fingers." The symptoms usually include intense itching, redness, rashes, scaling, and in severe cases, skin peeling....