Mumbai: Malaria is raising its head again; 139 cases have been reported through private medical facilities via online forms in the last two months. The data has been released following a strict announcement by the BMC to all hospitals and doctors in April this year to report each patient to achieve the state’s 2030 eradication.
The BMC’s public health department has drafted a strict plan for malaria eradication owing to the state government’s notification to make it a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Act.
BMC’s executive health officer, Dr Mangala Gomare said, “These cases have been reported through private medical facilities via online form, with 67 cases in April and 72 cases till May 17.”
Malaria cases in the city as well in the state have been swelling for the past three years. As per recent data, Mumbai recorded 4,357 malaria cases in 2019, 5,007 in 2020 and 5,193 in 2021.
As per state data, 4071 cases and one death was reported in 2019; 12,909 cases and 12 deaths in 2020 and 19,304 cases and 14 deaths in 2021. This year so far, there have been 2,921 cases and no deaths.
According to BMC officials, any individual or organisation violating the instructions such as not following through on breeding control measures or not reporting cases to respective officers will be liable to be prosecuted under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, which imposes up to six months imprisonment and ₹1,000 fine, or both, according to the state notification.
Similar to tuberculosis, it has become mandatory for private doctors and laboratories in the state to report malaria to designated control officers.
Malaria is an acute febrile disease caused by Plasmodium parasite, which is transmitted to people through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Vivax-type is the type of malaria found in India and is treated by giving chloroquine tablets to the patient for three days, followed by a course of 14 days of primaquine tablets to destroy the Plasmodium parasite from the liver.
Mumbai 2019
4,357 cases
2020
5,007
2021
5,193
Maharashtra 2019
4071; one death
2020
12,909 cases; 12 deaths
2021
19,304 cases; 14 deaths
2022, so far
2,921 cases; no deaths
