Dengue cases are climbing steadily across West Bengal, and that has prompted the state's Health Minister, Dr. Sharadwat Mukherjee, to make a pointed appeal about what children wear to school. He said mosquito bites are spreading both dengue and malaria, so covering the body as much as possible is the simplest way to keep children safe.
Full pants and shirts for boys, salwar suits for girls
Dr. Sharadwat Mukherjee has urged headmasters to make sure children wear full-body clothing at school for the next three months, whatever the regular uniform happens to be. He was direct about one thing: girls should not be sent to school in skirts, and should instead wear a salwar that fully covers the legs. He also pointed out that many parents rely on knee-high socks, but that does not offer real protection, because the socks are thin and cling to the skin, leaving children just as exposed to bites. For boys, he recommended full-length pants paired with full-sleeve shirts. He called this a genuinely important step and said the goal is to try to bring dengue numbers down specifically across September, October and November.
More than 4,000 cases and 7 deaths so far
Dengue outbreaks in West Bengal tend to turn severe every year during the monsoon season. In 2026 alone, the state has already recorded more than 4,000 dengue cases. The worst-affected areas are Kolkata, Howrah, North 24 Parganas, Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas. Official figures put the state's dengue death toll at 7 so far. Health officials are clearly worried about the numbers rising further in the coming weeks, which is why this school-level prevention push has been rolled out.
Dengue symptoms to watch for
- High fever, typically 101 to 105°F, lasting 2 to 7 days
- Nausea and vomiting
- Severe headaches and pain behind the eyes
- Skin rashes
- Muscle and joint pain
- A drop in platelet count
- Bleeding from the nose or gums
- Restlessness and difficulty breathing
- Persistent vomiting, at least 3 times within 24 hours
How to protect against dengue
- Wear clothing that covers the body fully.
- Do not let water collect anywhere at home, especially in coolers, flowerpots, tyres, tanks or buckets, and clean them out every week.
- Use a mosquito net even while sleeping during the day.
- Fit mesh screens on windows to keep mosquitoes from entering the house.
Health officials believe that even these small precautions can meaningfully cut dengue numbers, provided schools and parents both take the appeal seriously.
