Mumbai rains: BMC on warpath as diseases make comeback

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While the rains are yet to arrive in its full glory' the BMC's insecticide department has already started gathering ammo to fight monsoon-related diseases that are making a quick comeback. Over the last week' government hospitals in the city have witnessed several patients with symptoms of joint pain' fever and cough' and even those detected positive for malaria.

As part of its monsoon preparedness' the BMC's insecticide department has roped in 360 additional workers' taking the total manpower to 2'700. The team will be working ward-wise to curtail the breeding of anopheles and aedes mosquitoes' which are known to cause malaria and dengue respectively. "We've already started getting pre-monsoon ailment patients with typical viral infection - fever' body ache' weakness etc. Cases of malaria are also gradually increasing with every passing day'" said a
doctor from a South Mumbai clinic.

Dr Wiqar Shaikh' professor of medicine and head of medical Unit 5 at Grant Medical College and JJ Hospital said' "In the last 10 days' there has been a rise in the number of patients suffering from viral fever and dysentery. At least three to four patients are being admitted to our wards daily." Dr Shaikh attributed the problem to the rise in construction activities across the city. "These spots are potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes'" he said. He further pointed out that there has been an increase in pollution levels' leading to allergic reactions' with patients complaining of throat and respiratory tract infections.

Dr OM Shrivastava' a consultant in infectious diseases and immunology has cautioned people against wading through accumulated water. "People should be careful about the water and food they are consuming. Fluctuation in temperature' caused due to moving from air conditioned spaces to non-air conditioned ones' also makes the body vulnerable to viral infections." He feels that this monsoon will be more severe than the last' and that flu vaccination should be offered to people of all ages.
Dr Srikanth Balasubramanian' a Kharghar paediatrician said that cases of children with dysentery and viral fever are on the rise.

When contacted' a senior BMC public health official' said' "We have already geared up for monsoon-related cases. Special fever OPDs have been started at KEM' Nair' Sion and Cooper. Also' beds have been increased in wards and ICUs. Ventilators and medicines have also been stored. The BMC epidemiology cell at Kasturba Hospital is supervising the preparation."