City witnesses sharp rise in dengue cases from last yr
The end of monsoon has led to a sharp rise in cases of dengue in the city. As per data compiled by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), 647 patients in the city’s civic hospitals have been tested positive for dengue till date.
The end of monsoon has led to a sharp rise in cases of dengue in the city. As per data compiled by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), 647 patients in the city’s civic hospitals have been tested positive for dengue till date.
Of these, 157 cases have been registered in the last 15 days. The figures show an alarming rise from the 416 cases reported last year. The disease has also claimed three lives this year.
While presenting the record of total cases to the civic standing committee on Thursday, the civic administration said that it had already begun taking necessary measures — fogging in mosquito-breeding areas and door-to-door awareness in certain affected wards in the city — to curb the menace from growing further.
“A special team consisting of officials from public health department, solid waste management department and pest control has been formed to deal with the rising number of cases,” said Mohan Adtani, additional municipal commissioner.
The figures do not reflect the cases that have been reported in private hospitals.
Calling for the civic body to also take into account the cases in private hospitals, Dhananjay Pisal, Nationalist Congress Party corporator from Bhandup, said: “It is high time the civic body expand its scope to private hospitals to get an all-comprehensive picture of how gravely the city has been affected. Surveys need to be conducted in private hospitals as well.”
Criticising the poor service in many of the civic hospitals, Pisal said: “There are two hospitals in my ward which call for urgent attention from the administration. Medicines often do not reach patients who are in urgent need of them. It is important to ensure adequate supply of medicines.”