Mumbai: Early diagnosis and better reporting of vector-borne diseases across the state has led to 36 per cent decrease in the number of deaths caused due to malaria, dengue, chikungunya and others in comparison to the last two years. However, cases of swine flu and dengue are on gradual rise in the state. According to the officials, due to rise in awareness and timely treatment, the numbers have plunged gradually. According to statistics received from the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), in 2017-18, 873 deaths were reported across the state which has now come down to 558 in 2018-19.
“The statistics itself show the numbers have come down due to various awareness programmes organised by the public health department in the outskirts of the state,” said a senior health official. She further said most of the people across the state have died due to swine flu and dengue as they failed to get timely treatment. “558 swine flu deaths were reported in 2018-19 compared to 778 in 2017-18. On the other hand dengue deaths have increased in 2018-19 by recording 70 deaths compared to 65 in 2017-18,” she added. In 2016-17, total 33, 608 cases of vector-borne diseases were recorded across the state with highest number of cases in malaria (21,859) and dengue (6,583). In 2017-18, 33,433 cases were recorded which fell further to 26, 669 in 2018-19, which is almost 21 per cent dip in the number of cases.
However, the state is recording a gradual rise in the number of swine flu and dengue cases. In 2016, only 82 cases of swine flu were reported with 26 deaths which rose to 2,594 in 2018 with 462 deaths. Similarly, in the case of dengue, 6,583 cases were recorded in 2016-17 which surged to 11,249 in 2018-19. According to the officials, due to growing awareness among people, they are coming early for treatment if they develop any symptoms which has actually helped to save more lives but is showing number of cases on the rise.
“There has been an overall fall in the number of vector-borne diseases in the state. The numbers that you are referring to is because of better reporting of cases as nowadays, people prefer to approach doctors faster rather than just wasting time in waiting,” said Dr Archana Patil, joint director, DHS. As the monsoon is expected to arrive in Maharashtra by this weekend, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has already issued advisory asking people to take precautionary measures to save themselves from vector-borne diseases.
