OBJECTIVES: This study aims to update previously estimated burden of dengue illness in India and synthesize the latest estimates using economic and epidemiological data available from 2013 to 2017.

METHODS: Dengue cases, deaths, cost per case, and the distribution of cases among treatment settings for 2013 were obtained from a previous primary study specific to India (Shepard et al. 2014) and global cost estimates (Shepard et al. 2016). Epidemiology – Data from Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) Collaborative Network were used to update previous 2013 estimates and further provide 2017 values of the number of symptomatic cases and fatalities. Costs – Direct and indirect costs (in current US dollars) were updated from 2013 to 2017 using a per capita current health expenditure (CHE) based projection factor. Unit costs were projected based on data from Knoema and the World Bank.

RESULTS: Revisions to previous 2013 estimates done based on new data suggested an increase of 176% and 1092% in symptomatic cases and fatalities, respectively, for 2013. Using GBD data, the number of dengue cases specific to India in 2017 was estimated to be 56,229,185 symptomatic cases, including deaths. The number of fatalities due to dengue were updated to 24,381 fatal cases in 2017. Based on projections using revised numbers, total costs for 2017 were $6.7 billion.

CONCLUSIONS: This update of 2013 numbers using new GBD data suggests that previous estimates were understated, demonstrating challenges in quantifying the burden of disease. Despite a decrease in fatalities and an increase in India’s health spending from 2013 to 2017, the estimated aggregate costs emphasize the need for newer and more effective prevention strategies, which would provide health and economic benefits to India by substantially controlling the disease. This study offers the latest baseline estimates to conduct economic evaluations of preventive measures against dengue.