Maha reported 1,237 dengue cases from Jan till May-end

A BMC healthcare worker collects a blood sample in a bid to crack down on dengue, at Kandivli on September 12, 2020. File Pic/Satej Shinde

The mosquito menace is on the rise across the state even though the monsoon is yet to arrive. In the first five months of 2022, Maharashtra reported over 807 dengue cases. The figure for the same period this year is 1,237 - a 57 per cent increase. Mumbai accounted for 27 per cent of the total number of dengue cases and is a major contributor to the disease compared to other districts.

According to state health department data in 2021, Maharashtra reported 12,720 confirmed cases of dengue and 42 related deaths. In 2022, the state reported 8,578 cases and 27 deaths, an over 40 per cent drop. However, in the first five months of the current year, the state has reported over 1,237 confirmed cases of dengue. A senior official from the health department, on the condition of anonymity, said, "The unusual rainfall this year in some parts of the state has been the reason behind the spike in cases. However, no casualties have been reported so far. We are already taking up all the steps to control the mosquito menace."

Out of the 1,237 dengue cases, 478 were from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Mumbai (335), Palghar (112) and Thane (11) collectively reported 39 per cent of the total cases. Dr Madhukar Gaikwad, medicine department unit head at JJ Hospital, said, "In the past month, I have seen 12 to 15 dengue cases. Very few patients needed hospitalisation and they recovered within a week. We admitted those whose platelet count was very low and there was a chance of internal bleeding. Now, the monsoon is on the way so people need to take extra care."

According to the state health department, several measures like fogging, and using guppy fish at the potential mosquito breeding sites are on. The health workers also visited houses for fever surveillance.

478
No of cases recorded in MMR