Monsoon maladies have continued to plague Mumbai. 132 dengue cases were reported in August this year against the 10 cases recorded last year during the same period. Most cases have surfaced from the B, F-South and H-West ward. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is yet to determine the precise cause for the rise in cases.
Going by the BMC data, 790 malaria cases were recorded in August, followed by 276 cases of gastroenteritis, 37 cases of leptospirosis, 35 cases of hepatitis and 17 cases of H1N1.
Executive health official Dr Mangala Gomare said awareness drives were organised across all wards. Additionally, activities like daily disease surveillance, early diagnosis and treatment and implementation of immediate control measures were implemented. “We have instructed all hospitals, dispensaries and health centres to increase blood smear examinations. They have also been asked to conduct rapid antigen tests to rule out the possibility of Covid-19 and administer treatment to those found positive,” said Dr Gomare.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani said the BMC has been on its toes to curb monsoon illnesses. “All the efforts taken by the health and insecticide department have yielded good results. We also conducted sanitation and fumigation,” he said.
Dr Mala Kaneria, consultant, department of infectious diseases, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, believes the similarities between the symptoms of dengue and Covid-19 have resulted in delayed diagnosis in some cases. “So, any fever that doesn’t drop in three days, especially if it is associated with minor bleeding, should be investigated for dengue,” she said.
A senior health official said a sudden change in temperature makes the body susceptible to certain diseases. Constant oscillation between hot, humid and wet weather makes it conducive for microorganisms to breed and thrive. “People should visit the doctor immediately, because the symptoms are almost almost alike for dengue, malaria, leptospirosis, gastroenteritis and chikungunya. They should take medication as prescribed by the doctor and not attempt any home remedies,” he added.
