Laboratory data from Mahajan Imaging & Labs reveals a sharp increase in diagnostic testing for seasonal infectious diseases during monsoon months. According to diagnostic trends shared by the laboratory, testing volumes rose from 490-475 tests between May-July 2025 to a peak of 1,128 in September, before declining to 597 in October and 413 in November. The trend has continued into 2026, with the laboratory performing 2,107 tests for seasonal infections between January-June 2026 alone. Common monsoon-related illnesses include dengue, malaria, chikungunya, typhoid, hepatitis A and E, leptospirosis, influenza and acute gastrointestinal infections. Experts attribute this seasonal rise to heavy rainfall, waterlogging, mosquito breeding, contaminated food and drinking water, and poor sanitation conditions. The monsoon season creates perfect conditions for bacteria, viruses, fungi, and mosquitoes to multiply, with stagnant water, increased humidity, contaminated food and water, and mosquito breeding creating ideal conditions for infections to spread.
Health experts consistently report 15 common monsoon illnesses during the rainy season, with dengue, malaria, viral fever, typhoid, diarrhea, fungal infections, and food poisoning among the most commonly reported diseases. Dengue spreads through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes which breed in clean stagnant water, while malaria is transmitted by infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Chikungunya spreads through mosquito bites and causes severe joint pain, with similar preventive measures to dengue. Typhoid is caused by contaminated food and drinking water, requiring drinking boiled or filtered water and washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly. Cholera spreads rapidly through contaminated water and can lead to severe dehydration, while hepatitis A spreads through contaminated food and water. Gastroenteritis affects the stomach and intestines, with food contamination increasing during monsoon due to moisture and improper storage. HFMD is common among young children during seasonal changes, and eye infections become more frequent during the rainy season due to humidity, mold, and dust.
As monsoon season approaches, health experts emphasize the importance of compact nebulizer preparedness for Indian households. According to recent reports, every Indian household should maintain a compact nebulizer at home rather than waiting for symptoms to appear. A compact nebulizer is compact enough to store in a drawer or carry along on monsoon trips, ensuring it's never forgotten during emergency situations. Modern portable devices deliver the same effective dose as bulkier machines, making them suitable for families managing respiratory sensitivities. The portable mesh nebulizer is particularly recommended for monsoon conditions due to its battery-friendly, quiet, and quick setup capabilities - crucial when children wake up wheezing at 2 AM during heavy downpours with unpredictable power cuts. Humidity encourages fungal growth on the skin, especially in skin folds and feet, making it important to wear breathable cotton clothing, change wet clothes immediately, and dry shoes completely before reuse.
Standard health insurance policies are primarily designed to cover hospitalisation expenses, meaning mild respiratory infections treated at home or through outpatient consultations may not qualify for claims. According to Dr Amol Sawai, Senior Vice President and National Product Head – Accident & Health Underwriting at Liberty General Insurance, indemnity-based health insurance policies are designed to cover expenses arising from hospitalisation, typically defined as a minimum of 24 consecutive hours of in-patient treatment. A mild cold or seasonal flu treated with over-the-counter medication at home would not trigger a claim, but if illnesses such as pneumonia or severe bronchitis worsen and require hospitalisation, associated treatment expenses are generally covered subject to policy terms and conditions. Children have developing immune systems and are more susceptible to mosquito-borne, water-borne, and respiratory infections, making them particularly vulnerable during monsoon season.
Beyond treatment, experts recommend using preventive health check-up benefits offered under comprehensive health insurance plans. These check-ups can identify underlying respiratory risks such as asthma, allergies or reduced lung function before they become serious. Sawai emphasized that most comprehensive health insurance policies today offer a preventive health check-up benefit, typically after a claim-free year. Policyholders should make use of this benefit proactively to avoid serious respiratory conditions. Additionally, complete documentation preservation is critical for claim settlement, including prescriptions, diagnostic reports and hospital records. For nebulizer preparedness, experts recommend keeping the nebulizer, mask, and prescribed medicine together in one accessible spot and cleaning and fully drying all parts after every use during monsoon humidity. Strengthen immunity with a balanced diet and maintain proper bathroom hygiene to reduce infection risk. Avoid walking barefoot in floodwater, clean wounds immediately after exposure, and keep infected children at home until recovery.
Respiratory illness claims are commonly rejected due to several factors, according to industry experts. These include inadequate documentation, claims for treatments that do not meet hospitalisation requirements, non-disclosure of pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma or COPD at the time of purchasing the policy, and waiting periods applicable to pre-existing diseases. Sawai cautioned that waiting periods applicable to pre-existing diseases can cause significant delays in claim settlement. For consumers, reviewing policy details before the monsoon season is crucial to understand whether the policy includes domiciliary treatment, OPD benefits, preventive health check-ups and applicable waiting periods. Health experts also warn against storing nebulizers with damp parts or in poorly ventilated spots, as this can encourage mould growth inside tubing and masks. Avoid close contact with infected individuals, avoid sharing personal items, and seek immediate medical care if you have persistent high fever, severe dehydration, breathing difficulty, blood in stool, severe weakness, or symptoms that worsen despite home care.
