Chennai, 14 Oct 2026:Chennai is in the middle of a crowded fever season. Accord ing to the Tamil Nadu Health Department, the state has recorded 21,655 dengue cases between January 1 and October 7 this year. The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine has intensified source reduction, vector con trol and environmental sanitation measures across the state in view of the prevailing trend of fever cases.
Dengue is only part of the picture. Scrub typhus, a bacterial infection spread by mite larvae in grass and bushes rather than mosquitoes, has also been reported, with 4,619 cases across Tamil Nadu since January, according to the Directorate of Public Health, and 173 cases in Chennai this year, according to the Greater Chennai Corporation. Viral fevers and respiratory infections are also being reported.
With early symptoms looking alike, delay is the biggest risk. Many of these infections, including scrub typhus, can be treated effec tively when diagnosed early, which makes timely consultation more important than self-medication. Against this backdrop, Star Health and Allied Insurance Company Limited ( N S E : STARHEALTH; BSE: 543412), one of India’s leading standalone health insurance companies, is streng thening access to Virtual Doctor Consul tations, guided care support and Home Health Care across Chennai.
Care at home, under medical supervision
Star Health Insurance’s data points to growing adoption of medically supervised treatment at home. Home Health Care utilisation among eligible policyholders in Chennai more than doubled between April and September 2026. Cases recorded between April and September were over 4.6X those in the same period last year and have already exceeded the total for the whole of FY26.
Which fever is it? What to watch for
• Influenza and respiratory infections: fever with cough, sore throat and body ache; can become serious in senior citizens and people with existing conditions.
• Dengue: sudden high fever with severe headache and body ache, spread by mosquitoes that breed in stored clean water.
• Scrub typhus: sudden high fever with a pronounced headache and body ache, sometimes with a small dark scab at the mite bite site.
Doctors advise immediate medical attention for breathing difficulty, persistent high fever or signs of dehydration.