Eight-year-old girl dies of dengue in Mumbai

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This year, Mumbai has reported an increase in dengue, H1N1 and malaria cases among other monsoon-related illnesses. As per the recent monsoon report shared by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), an eight-year-old died due to dengue in the month of June. She is among the six citizens who died due to monsoon-related illnesses in the past two months.

"The patient had a history of fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, and loose motion two days before she died. While she was first admitted to a private hospital on June 19 and later transferred to a government hospital the patient got a sudden cardiac arrest soon after the transfer. The patient died on June 22. The blood investigation revealed dengue infection," the BMC official said.

The BMC's Death Committee reviewed 28 cases in the past three months of which they confirmed two deaths due to dengue, two deaths due to H1N1, one death due to leptospirosis, and one death due to malaria.

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Besides the eight-year-old girl who died in June, a 38-year-old man from the D ward in south Mumbai died in July due to dengue.

Mumbai recorded 509 malaria cases and 105 dengue cases this month.

"Citizens must take all precautions to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes as the number of dengue and malaria cases are increasing in the city," the BMC official said. Last month, a 55-year-old man died due to malaria in the city.

As per the BMC, H1N1 and dengue cases are increasing in the city. This year 272 H1N1 cases have been reported in the city of which 59 per cent of the cases (163 cases) are reported in August so far. The civic body stated that H1N1 symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat or throat irritation, body ache, headache, diarrhoea and vomiting.

In the month of July, two men (42-year-old and 44-year-old) died due to H1N1 and a 34-year-old man died due to leptospirosis in the city.

"People should not take self-medication and consult a nearby BMC health post or hospital immediately for treatment if there is a history of high fever, difficulty in breathing, or blue colour of skin or lips. Treatment should not be delayed because it leads to complications and risk of death," said Dr Mangala Gomare, executive health officer, BMC's public health department.

The BMC data also stated that Mumbai reported 46 leptospirosis cases, 324 gastro cases, 35 hepatitis cases and two chikungunya cases in August so far.