10 Monsoon Diseases You Should Be Aware of in India

Monsoon in India comes as a relief from all the heat. Typically, India experiences monsoon from July to September. However, this year, the monsoon has knocked on our doors quite early.

While the rainy season gives a break from all the heat and sweat during summer, it also comes with a wave of various infections due to the rise in damp conditions, stagnant water, and poor hygiene.

These factors combine to create an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, viruses and mosquitoes. Health risks multiply during this time, weakening immunity and making people vulnerable.

This guide will help you understand some of the most common monsoon diseases and provide practical advice on rainy season diseases and prevention to help you stay safe.

The monsoon transforms our environment into a lush green landscape. The smell of wet grass, blooming flowers and fresh leaves transports us into a dreamy escapade. But along with fresh flowers, it fosters the ideal conditions for the growth and spread of disease-causing organisms. Here’s what helps speed up the process:

• Stagnant Water: Stagnant water from clogged drains and puddles becomes the ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes and contributes to mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, malaria, and chikungunya.

• High Humidity: High humidity in monsoon promotes fungal as well as bacterial growth that leads to skin infection and respiratory issues.

• Contaminated Water and Food: Contaminated water and food cause a spike in gastrointestinal infections, including typhoid and cholera.

• Low Immunity: Due to fluctuating temperatures and high humidity, the body is more susceptible to infections.

The dense population of India and uneven sanitation infrastructure can make you vulnerable to diseases in the rainy season. But, awareness is the first step, and by understanding the most common rainy season illnesses, you can better prepare, prevent and protect.

To help you keep yourself safe and protected, below are the ten most common monsoon diseases in India. For each, we explain how it spreads, common symptoms, and how to prevent them to protect yourself.

1. Dengue Fever

• How it spreads: Dengue fever is spread through the Aedes mosquito, which breeds in clean, stagnant water.

• Symptoms: Sudden high fever, intense headache, along with muscle/joint pain and rashes on the skin.

• Prevention: Avoid the formation of stagnant water in your backyard, use mosquito repellents, and use mosquito nets while sleeping. This rainy season, the disease is widely spread in urban areas.

2. Malaria

• How it spreads: Malaria is spread due to Anopheles mosquitoes thriving in stagnant water pools.

• Symptoms: Cyclic fever with chills along with body aches and sweating.

• Prevention: Avoid stagnant water formation, apply insect repellent, and use mosquito bed nets. Malaria is marked as one of the most common diseases of the rainy season in rural and suburban areas.

3. Chikungunya

• How it spreads: Chikungunya is spread by Aedes mosquitoes.
• Symptoms: Symptoms include debilitating joint pain, high fever and skin rash.
• Prevention: Eliminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes to avoid mosquito bites. This is a persistent monsoon disease in tropical climates.

4. Typhoid

• How it spreads: Typhoid is spread due to ingestion of food or water that is contaminated with Salmonella Typhi.

• Symptoms: Symptoms include prolonged fever, stomach pain, fatigue, and loss of appetite.

• Prevention: Drink boiled or filtered water, avoid raw, street food, and wash hands regularly. Typhoid is a leading disease in the rainy season due to poor water sanitation.

5. Cholera

• How it spreads: Cholera is spread due to the consumption of contaminated water or food.

• Symptoms: Symptoms of cholera include sudden onset of watery diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration.

• Prevention: Cholera can be prevented by consuming clean water, maintaining kitchen hygiene, and avoiding uncovered and street food. Cholera is most commonly seen in flood-affected areas.

6. Hepatitis A

• How it spreads: Hepatitis A, also known as Jaundice, is spread due to contaminated food or water.

• Symptoms: Symptoms included fatigue, yellowing of the eyes and skin, and nausea followed by dark coloured urine.

• Prevention: You can prevent Hepatitis A by maintaining good food hygiene, drinking safe and clean water, and vaccination. This monsoon ailment is widespread in low sanitation areas.

7. Leptospirosis (Weil’s Disease)

• How it spreads: Leptospirosis, also known as Weil’s disease, is spread by exposure to water or mud contaminated with urine or infected animals.

• Symptoms: Symptoms include high fever, muscle pain, red eyes, and vomiting. Severe cases may also affect the kidneys and liver.

• Prevention: Wear protective footwear in floodwater, and avoid contact with open drains. Leptospirosis is often overlooked but is a serious rainy season disease in urban flooding scenarios.

8. Fungal Infections

• How it spreads: Fungal infections are spread due to humid, sweaty conditions that promote fungal growth.

• Symptoms: Symptoms include an itchy rash, peeling, discoloured nails and ring-shaped lesions.

• Prevention: To prevent fungal infection, keep skin dry, change damp clothes quickly, and wear breathable fabrics. Fungal infections are among the most uncomfortable diseases in monsoon and thrive in humid areas.

9. Flu and Common Cold

• How it spreads: The Flu and the common cold are spread due to airborne viral transmission that is worsened by cold or wet conditions.

• Symptoms: Symptoms include throat infection, nasal congestion, cough, along with fever and body aches.

• Prevention: To protect yourself from the flu and the common cold, maintain hand hygiene, avoid crowded places, and strengthen your immunity with nutrition and immunity boosters. The flu and the common cold are frequent illness that affects kids and adults alike.

10. Gastrointestinal Infections/Diarrhoea

• How it spreads: Gastrointestinal infections, commonly known as diarrhoea, are spread due to the consumption of contaminated or stale food.

• Symptoms: Symptoms of diarrhoea include nausea, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and weakness.

• Prevention: To prevent diarrhoea, eat fresh, home-cooked food, and wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly. Gastrointestinal disease is a widespread disease in the rainy season linked directly to hygiene.

Now that we have identified the most common monsoon diseases, let's talk about prevention. Here are some practical, tried and tested strategies to keep you and your family safe during monsoon.

Water Safety

• Always boil water for drinking or use water purifiers.
• Avoid tap water even for brushing teeth.
• Use clean containers with tight lids to store water.

Food Hygiene

• A big ‘No’ to street food during monsoon.
• Eat freshly home-cooked meals.
• Clean fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water before consumption.
• Reheat stored food properly before eating.

Mosquito Control

• Eliminate the source of stagnant water from coolers, plant pots and the rooftop.
• Use mosquito repellents and nets.
• Support local fogging and vector control programmes.
• Cover water tanks and avoid water accumulation in your surroundings.

Personal Hygiene

• Wash your hands regularly.
• Take a bath after getting wet in the rain.
• Keep your feet dry to avoid fungal infections.
• Do not walk barefoot in waterlogged areas.

Boost Immunity

• Eat warm, easily digestible, low-spice foods like soups, khichadi and herbal tea.
• Include immunity boosting spices such as turmeric, ginger, garlic and tulsi.
• Avoid refrigerated and leftover food.

Lifestyle-based Monsoon Health Tips

• Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep.
• Practice meditation and indoor yoga to reduce stress.
• Exercise indoors to maintain energy levels and blood circulation.

Clothing Choices

• Wear lightweight, breathable clothes that dry quickly.
• Avoid tight clothing that can trap sweat.

Avoidance Measure

• Stay away from stagnant water and waterlogged areas.
• Do not allow children to play in mud or dirty water.

Medical preparedness

• Keep a first aid kit and thermometer handy.
• Seek medical help early if symptoms persist.
• Take prescribed preventive vaccines.

By following these health tips for the monsoon, you can protect yourself and your family members from rainy season diseases.

Monsoon in India is the season of beauty, but it comes with its share of risk and infections. With increased exposure to water, humidity and pathogens, diseases in monsoon can affect anyone. But knowledge is our best friend, right?

By understanding these monsoon diseases and following simple yet effective monsoon health tips, you can stay safe and protected. Share this guide with your family and neighbours. Let’s build a healthier, rain-ready India, one aware citizen at a time.