There is good news for Mumbaikars! Cases related to monsoon ailments dropped in the first 12 days of September against the same period in August. According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) data, 395 cases of malaria were reported from August 1 to August 15. The figure dropped to 210 from September 1 to September 12. Similarly, the cases of other monsoon ailments, except dengue, also dipped in number during the same period.
According to the data, 61 cases of dengue were reported in the first two weeks of August. This surged to 85 between September 1 and September 12. Civic officials and health experts attributed this surge to the heavy rainfall received and relaxation of curbs. The precise cause is yet to be determined. All the 85 dengue cases surfaced from E, GS and GN wards.
Dr Mangala Gomare, executive health official, said awareness drives with information, education and communication (IEC) on the symptoms were organised across all wards. Moreover, activities like daily disease surveillance, early diagnosis and treatment, implementation of immediate control measures were also held. “We have instructed hospitals, dispensaries and health posts to increase the blood smear examination for suspect cases. They have also been asked to conduct rapid antigen tests in high risk areas to rule out the possibility of Covid-19 and administer radical treatment to those found positive,” said Dr Gomare.
Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner, said the civic body has been on its toes to curb other illnesses since the outbreak of Covid-19. “All efforts taken by the health and insecticide department have yielded good results. On a larger scale, we carried out sanitation and fumigation,” he said.
Dr Harshad Limaye, senior consultant, internal medicine and infectious diseases, Nanavati Max Super Specialty Hospital said, in 2020, they observed a sharp drop in monsoon ailments, such as dengue and leptospirosis, due to the lockdown. Now, there is a 30% to 40% surge in dengue with more people venturing out. “Considering the rainfall and mosquito breeding correlation, we expect a peak in dengue cases in the last week of September. We urge residents not to ignore common symptoms, such as fever, body ache and joint pain or rashes. Seek immediate medical help to avoid any delay in detection,” he said.
Dr Behram Pardiwala, head of internal medicine, Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai Central, said they have seen a definite resurgence of dengue and malaria in the last two months. The dengue cases are serious; some of them are being admitted with very high ferritin levels. “We have warned patients against self-medication for any type of fewer. Over the month, we saw malaria and gastro cases increasing in Mumbai,” he said.
