Bad news if you live in these 5 areas

Although BMC insists that incidence of the disease has declined since last year, figures indicate sudden rise in five wards covering Malabar Hill, Juhu, Andheri, Malad and Borivli

Bad news if you live in these 5 areas

Although BMC insists that incidence of the disease has declined since last year, figures indicate sudden rise in five wards covering Malabar Hill, Juhu, Andheri, Malad and Borivli

The BMC may be rejoicing over the decline in cases of malaria in the city this year, but they are quite alone in their celebrations.

Going by the figures received in the month of June, the disease has reared its ugly head in as many as five civic wards in the city, almost simultaneous with the arrival of the monsoons.

"I was admitted to hospital about a week ago. The fever refuses to show any sign of abatement.
There is a lot of undisposed garbage around my residence at Veera Desai in Andheri. Even my son Suresh has been diagnosed with the disease. The BMC needs to take a note of the rising cases of malaria in the city, and take measures to control it." Vasant Rane, 68 years

The affected wards are C ward, corresponding to Chira Bazar, D ward, which includes Malabar Hill and the Raj Bhavan, K (West) ward which includes Juhu, Versova, Andheri (West) and Jogeshwari, P (North) corresponding to Malad and Kandivli (West), and R (Central), which includes Borivli (East and West), Dahisar (West).

While maintaining that everything is under control, the civic body has alerted the pest control officer as well as medical officers in the city, to strengthen malaria-fighting measures to control the sudden rise.

On the rise
Take the case of wards C and D, which fall in SoBo territory. In May, ward C recorded 66 cases of malaria of the 2,670 blood smears collected. In the first 17 days of June, the same ward has already witnessed 46 cases.
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In ward D, 98 of the 3,428 blood smears collected tested positively for malaria in May, while 75 odd cases have already been reported in June. These numbers unmistakably indicate a rising trend of malaria cases in these wards.

Similar trends have been noticed in the K west ward. In May, 137 blood samples had tested positive for malaria, of the 6,783 collected. The figures in June have already touched 88, indicating a rise.

In the P north ward, 105 cases were reported in the month of May. This month, 79 cases have already been diagnosed.u00a0In the R central ward, 3,063 patients submitted blood samples in May, of which 94 were positive. In June, 61 cases have already been reported.

"I have been laid up for five days. I also missed my first day of school. I don't want to miss school anymore, but don't feel well enough to go."
Pankaj Kumar, 12 years

"When I was down with fever, I thought it was because I was drenched in the rain last week. It was only later that I found out that the fever was a symptom of malaria. I am on medication."
Prasad Desai

The civic health department also revealed that three people succumbed to the disease in June, in addition to the 18 deaths that have been reported from January to April.

In denial?
BMC officials, however, maintained that the malaria menace in the city had improved this year compared to the last. Additional Municipal Commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar said, "Compared to last month and last year, the number of cases of malaria has dipped."

Questioned about the rise in specific wards, she added, "These wards have only registered a marginal increase. We have instructed the medical officers and pest control officers to beef up their activities in these specific wards.
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We have asked the officers to map the areas, find out where a majority of the cases are being reported, and thereafter concentrate all anti-malarial activities in those areas, till the numbers drop."u00a0

Dr Mangala Gomare, assistant health officer, surveillance, BMC, said, "We are regularly surveying the wards, and holding review meetings. Even though a few wards are registering a marginal increase in cases of malaria, the figures have come down in general.

Compared to the 5,000 odd cases reported last year in June, only 2,223 blood samples have tested positive this year. Our anti-malarial activities are on in full swing; there is no chance of a steep rise.u00a0u00a0

Back with a bang
Physicians at private health care institutions across the city, however, beg to differ with the BMC figures. Dr Rajesh Bendre, head of department, Special Immunochemistry, Metropolis Healthcare, said, "In the month of April, we were receiving just ten blood smears for malaria testing.

But in June, the number of received samples has risen to 30. We are anticipating a further rise in the number of samples by July."

Dr Jalil Parkar, consultant physician at Lilavati Hospital, said, "Incidences of malaria and dengue have increased, especially since the onset of the monsoon. Other diseases that are on the rise are acute viral gastroenteritis and typhoid."

"The number of patients suffering from diseases like malaria and gastroenteritis has increased after the rains. We diagnose at least five to six patients with malaria every day," said Dr Soumil Kapadia, owner of All Doctors Clinic, located in D ward's Walkeshwar.
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Dr PK Maheshwari, physician and cardiologist of The Vital Care Centre in Andheri said, "Around 12 to 13 cases are detected every day."

Dr Anand Mishra, Belle Vue Clinic in Lokhandwala, said "Around 40 to 50 patients have been diagnosed with malaria since June 1.
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It seems to be worse this year, as more than 20 patients had to be admitted to the ICU. The suburbs of Mumbai are malaria prone every year during the monsoons. The government should take strong measures."

With inputs from Chetna Yerunkar and Heena Parkar