Mumbai: Dengue, malaria cases on the rise

Experts say people must ensure their surroundings are clean to prevent mosquitos breeding. File pic

The state government has warned that COVID-19 cases might go up in winter, but in the current weather with on-and-off rain, cases of dengue and malaria are going up. As per the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) health department, from October 1 to 9, the city reported 120 cases of malaria and 78 cases of dengue.

Medicine Unit Head at Sir JJ Hospital Dr Madhukar Gaikwad said, "In October, I have been seeing 10 cases of dengue every day. Around 50 to 60 per cent of patients need hospital admission as their platelet count goes down along with other health issues. Most of them come with fever, body pain and headaches. It takes them around 8 to 14 days to recover. As the city is witnessing rain on and off, there are favourable conditions for mosquito breeding. So one must take all precautions and ensure there is no breeding ground for vectors."

Also Read: Mumbai logs 129 new Covid-19 cases, zero fatality; active tally at 881

Last month, the BMC reported 215 cases of dengue and 659 cases of malaria. In the current year, 3,371 cases of malaria, and 646 cases of dengue have been reported so far. Dr Rahul Tambe, senior consultant, Internal Medicine at Nanavati hospital, said, "In the past week, I have seen five to six cases of dengue every day. Not all of them need admission. Patients recover in seven to eight days. However, if they have any symptoms, people should consult a doctor for diagnosis and treatment."

BMC Executive Health officer Dr Mangala Gomare said, "People need to keep their surroundings clean and remove all scrap and odd articles which could serve as breeding sites for mosquitoes. The most important thing is that if people have symptoms and opt for self-medication, it will lead to health problems. So they must consult a doctor in a BMC dispensary or hospital without wasting time."