Pune dengue cases have reached 2,009 in 2026, with nearly 66 per cent reported from August to October (File photo).An eight-year-old girl from Lohegaon in Pune died last week due to suspected dengue-associated shock and progressive multi-organ dysfunction, prompting the civic administration to intensify vector surveillance activities.It was the first suspected dengue death in Pune city this year. The girl suffered a cardiac arrest at Ruby Hall Clinic around 8 pm on October 18. Despite the medical team’s efforts, she could not be revived.“The report from Ruby Hall Clinic was received today and stated that the girl had a dengue infection,” Dr Nina Borade, Chief Medical Officer of Health, Pune Municipal Corporation, told The Indian Express.A death audit committee will ascertain whether the dengue virus caused the death, she added.According to Dr Borade, the girl also suffered from asthma.When contacted, Dr Prashant Udavant, Consultant Paediatrician, Ruby Hall Clinic, said the medical team provided intensive critical care and advanced supportive treatment to the girl.Also Read | Pune dengue cases cross 2,000 this year; 66% reported in three months“The eight-year-old girl had been experiencing fever and abdominal pain for four to five days before she visited Ruby Hall Clinic’s outpatient department. Before this, she had consulted a local doctor and undergone an ultrasound examination. Given her persistent fever and abdominal pain, laboratory tests were conducted and confirmed dengue infection, with IgM ELISA positive, IgG ELISA positive, and NS1 antigen ELISA positive,” he said.Story continues below this adAt the time of her initial evaluation, her platelet count was approximately 2 lakh, which was within the normal range. The girl’s family had admitted the girl to a nearby hospital. However, her condition deteriorated and she developed breathlessness.The girl was subsequently shifted to Ruby Hall Clinic on the afternoon of October 17 in a critical condition, with low blood pressure and severe respiratory distress, the doctor said.The medical team immediately initiated resuscitation and transferred her to the intensive care unit (ICU) for further management.Also Read | India’s first dengue vaccine approved: DCGI clears Takeda’s Qdenga for those aged 4 to 60“By this time, her platelet count had dropped significantly to approximately 50,000 and elevated ferritin levels indicated a severe inflammatory response, raising concerns about hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) associated with dengue.Story continues below this ad“The primary diagnosis was dengue shock syndrome with HLH. The child had developed severe dengue-associated shock, significant liver injury, kidney failure and progressive multi-organ dysfunction. Despite all efforts to stabilise her condition and provide advanced treatment, the severity of the illness proved fatal,” Dr Udavant said.More than 2,000 dengue casesIn Pune, civic authorities have reported more than 2,000 dengue cases this year. Fines have also been levied from construction sites and other areas where the insect control department has identified mosquito breeding sites.“We have also launched vigorous surveillance activities and stepped up Information Education Communication campaigns,” Dr Borade said.She said the authorities immediately took preventive measures, such as fogging around the girl’s home in Lohegaon.