Two-week IMD climate–health forecast shows temperatures ideal for mosquito survival, though state’s malaria cases continue to decline sharply.
Guwahati, Nov 16: The Met department has warned of favourable temperature for spread of malaria mosquitoes over the next two weeks in Meghalaya.
The warning was issued in a weather bulletin, which is part of a national early-warning system that links weather conditions with public health risks. It helps states prepare for diseases that tend to rise when temperatures fall within specific ranges.
The Climate Information for Health Bulletin issued by India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune released on Friday stresses that this is not a prediction of an outbreak, but an early climate-based alert.
It means weather conditions are suitable for mosquitoes to survive and for the parasite to develop, increasing the chances of disease transmission if preventive steps are not taken.
For the week of November 14–20, IMD says all districts of Meghalaya fall within the temperature thresholds — 33–39°C maximum and 14–15°C minimum — that support the transmission of Plasmodium vivax, a common strain of malaria in the Northeast.
Even for the following week (November 21–27), most districts continue to remain in this favourable range, except East Jaintia Hills and West Jaintia Hills, where temperatures begin to move out of the risk bracket.
While several states show temperatures suitable for dengue, Meghalaya remains outside the dengue transmission window for both weeks.
“IMD has been issuing Climate Health Services for quite some time now and this service is highly appreciated by health department” an IMD official said.
On the malaria front Meghalaya has recorded decline in malaria cases among Category-II states this year, even as the state sharply increased its testing and surveillance activities, according to the latest Monthly Malaria Situation Information Report for August 2025.
The report shows that testing in Meghalaya rose by 39.11% compared to the average of the last three years, reflecting an intensified push by health authorities to detect and prevent malaria early. From January to August 2025, the state tested over 5.1 lakh blood samples, up from 3.6 lakh during the same period last year.
The number of positive malaria cases fell by 46.41%, signalling a substantial decline in transmission. Between January and August, Meghalaya reported 286 positive cases, down from 489 cases recorded during the same months last year.
A similar decline was seen in Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) infections — the more dangerous malaria strain. Pf cases dipped by 51.24% compared to the last three-year average, and by 44.62% compared to the same period in 2024.
The state’s Total Positivity Rate (TPR) also dropped sharply to 0.05 this year, from 0.11 in 2024 and a three-year average of 0.13 — another strong indicator of reduced malaria transmission in the community.
A study in Meghalaya has found that social networks—more than individual efforts or traditional health campaigns—are the driving force behind combating malaria, a disease that has long cast its shadow over the region.
