Mumbai: Two die of suspected dengue, leptospirosis this monsoon

The city recorded its first leptospirosis and dengue deaths this year at Lokmanya Tilak civic hospital in Sion recently. A nine-year-old female is suspected to have succumbed to leptospirosis and acute respiratory Down syndrome (ARDS) after she stopped responding to the treatment. Senior health officials said that the civic death review committee will investigate the matter and will submit reports within seven days.
The patient, Sana Mirza, a resident of L T Marg, was admitted to Sion hospital on June 25 and was kept in the medical intensive care unit as her condition deteriorated.
“The patient got wet in the rain. Suddenly, she complained of severe breathlessness, which is medically termed ARDS and was rushed to the hospital. Moreover, she had massive pulmonary bleeding due to which she died on June 26,” said a doctor.
Meanwhile, the hospital refused to divulge any details of the patient who died due to dengue, citing that the family has requested them not to divulge any information about the patient.
Senior health official said that so far it is a suspected that the death has been caused due to leptospirosis. However, the committee is yet to study the case. “We will be able to confirm the cause of death after the epidemiology cell of the BMC scrutinises the case study and concludes the actual cause of death,” said the official.
Moreover, the civic health department is spreading more awareness in the areas where there are chances of such cases to increase.
Dr. Mangala Gamore, executive health official, said community awareness with information, education and communication (IEC) on the symptoms was organised across all civic wards. Moreover, activities like daily disease surveillance, early diagnosis and treatment, implementation of immediate control measures have been held.
“We have instructed all hospitals, dispensaries and health care centres to increase blood smear examination of all suspected cases. Along with this, they have also been asked to conduct rapid antigen tests in high risk areas or high risk transmission zones to rule out possibilities of Covid and administer radical treatment to those found positive,” Dr. Gamore said.