Introduction

As winter starts to show its arrival, most people welcome relief from the scorching summer and the sticky monsoon. Sweaters come out, cool breezes replace hot winds, and the fear of many seasonal illnesses seems to fade. But in this transition, one silent threat often goes unnoticed — dengue fever.

Although dengue is commonly linked to the rainy season, health experts warn that early winter is not entirely safe. In fact, dengue cases often continue or even rise in the early winter months, creating a hidden wave of infections that can be serious if left undetected.

Let’s understand why dengue continues during this time, what symptoms to look out for, and how Astam Diagnostics Pvt. Ltd. is helping detect it early with fast and reliable testing kits.

Why Does Dengue Persist in Early Winter?

It’s a common belief that mosquito-borne diseases like dengue disappear once the monsoon ends. However, that’s not entirely true. While rain increases mosquito breeding, the risk doesn’t vanish when rainfall stops.

Here’s why dengue still poses a risk in early winter:

1. Residual Water Accumulation
   After the monsoon, stagnant water remains in puddles, drains, flowerpots, and containers — perfect breeding grounds for Aedes aegypti, the mosquito responsible for spreading dengue.

    

2. Mosquito Adaptability
   Aedes mosquitoes are resilient. They can survive and breed in cooler temperatures, especially in urban homes where indoor warmth and water containers create a suitable environment.

    

3. Delayed Symptom Onset
   The dengue virus has an incubation period of 4–10 days. A person bitten during late monsoon may not show symptoms until early winter, often confusing it with common flu or seasonal viral infections.

    

4. Neglect of Preventive Measures
   As it gets colder, people tend to stop using mosquito repellents or wearing full sleeves, assuming the threat is gone. This false sense of safety helps the virus spread further.

    

Symptoms of Dengue Fever

Dengue symptoms can easily be mistaken for other viral fevers, so timely testing is key. Common signs include:

• Sudden high fever

   

• Severe headache and pain behind the eyes

   

• Muscle and joint pain

   

• Skin rash (appears 2–5 days after fever starts)

   

• Nausea, vomiting, and fatigue

   

• Mild bleeding (nose, gums, or easy bruising)

   

If not treated early, dengue can lead to severe dengue or dengue hemorrhagic fever, which can cause internal bleeding, a sharp drop in platelets, and in extreme cases, shock.