Mumbai: City grapples with dengue, malaria surge

There has been a three-time surge in dengue cases in Mumbai compared to cases recorded in the first week of August. As per the data, 29 cases were detected in the first four days of September as compared to 27 patients found in the first week of August. On the other hand, other monsoon illnesses have dropped by more than 50 per cent during the same period.

Officials said they are seeing many dengue patients with complications, who need to be hospitalised to avoid fatality. These patients appear to be very weak due to fever and dehydration.

P D Hinduja Hospital & MRC emergency medicine specialist Dr Kishore Sathe presented an optimistic view, pointing out that cases of dengue fever are sporadic as compared to the same period last year. Probably, the BMC has played an active role in eradicating the mosquitoes, he said, adding that they are not seeing leptospirosis as of now.

“We are overwhelmed with fever and cough patients. There is a very sharp rise in flu-like illnesses and surprisingly they are not subsiding with routine antipyretics. Cases of malaria are also rising and daily there are 4-5 patients,” he said.

Most of the time dengue can resolve by itself. However, there are certain warning signs that you need to know; these include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, excessive bleeding from any site and breathlessness. These are basically the signs of your blood getting concentrated. In certain cases, those with the warning signs described might require admission.

Parel-based Global Hospital senior consultant in pulmonology & critical care Dr Harish Chafle said that cases of water-borne and vector-borne diseases are on the rise due to the monsoon. Cases of dengue are on the rise with cases of Malaria.

“There are incidences where patients have been infected with both dengue and malaria. Heavy rains and waterlogging in low-lying areas provide a bed for breeding of these mosquitoes. Also, water kept in drums, plates used to keep household decorative plants can also sometimes provide the same environment. However, till now this time the severity of dengue cases is not that much compared to last year,” he said.

Here's what doctors had to say

“We are overwhelmed with fever and cough patients. There is a very sharp rise in flu-like illnesses and surprisingly they are not subsiding with routine antipyretics. Cases of malaria are also rising and daily there are 4-5 patients.”

...

“There are incidences where patients have been infected with both dengue and malaria. Heavy rains and waterlogging in low-lying areas provide a bed for breeding of these mosquitoes.”