Dengue cases are on the rise in at least six Bengal districts, including Calcutta, with unofficial figures suggesting over 76,000 cases this year till Tuesday and counts showing no signs of any late-October respite like in recent years.

This year the state government has not released any dengue data, but government officials speaking on the condition of anonymity said the count had reached 76,000 last week, much more than the official figure of 67,000 cases last year. In previous years, cases would start coming down from mid-October when the mercury would start to drop, but there has been no such signs so far this time.

“We usually witness a downward trend in dengue cases from the second week of October. This year the number of cases is yet to come down and new cases are being reported from several districts. This year’s prolonged rainy season could be the reason for it. If the number of cases are not arrested by November 10, it will be a cause for concern,” a senior health official said.

According to a source in the health department, the state had till Tuesday reported a little over 76,000 cases this year. The number of dengue cases is highest in North 24-Parganas where around 18,200 cases have been reported. Calcutta is second with 11,120 cases. Murshidabad, Hooghly, Nadia and Howrah are also among the districts where the number of cases is still rising.

In September, the Opposition had mounted an attack on the public health system over reports of deaths and a surge in the number of dengue patients at hospitals. Opposition parties like the BJP, CPM and the Congress hit the streets before Durga Puja, accusing the state government of hiding dengue data to suppress the outbreak.

Bureaucrats at Nabanna, including chief secretary H.K. Dwivedi, have conducted half a dozen meetings in the past two months to ask health officials in Calcutta and the districts to take measures to arrest the number of dengue cases.

The rural development department conducted special training for newly elected members of rural bodies, especially those in the peri-urban areas.

“But the efforts did not show the desired results in several districts, including Calcutta. Around 9,000 new cases were reported during the festive season,” said a health official.

Dr Siddhartha Niyogi, the director of health services, however, said the trend was declining and under control. “The trend is not alarming for us. I don’t have any data to share. I can only say the dengue situation is under control,” he said.