8-month-old girl is 20th suspected measles death in city

The child was not vaccinated against the viral infection, as per the information provided by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Mumbai: An eight-month-old girl from Sakinaka died due to suspected measles on Saturday. The infant became the 20th suspected death since the outbreak of measles in the city in late September and the second such casualty this year.

The civic authorities also said that the child developed the symptoms on January 3 and had to be admitted to hospital on January 10 as her condition deteriorated. The civic body’s death review committee is yet to confirm measles as the cause of death. (Shutterstock)

The child was not vaccinated against the viral infection, as per the information provided by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). They attributed acute respiratory failure with bronchopneumonia as the cause of death. She died on Saturday but the presence of measles was confirmed on Monday.

The civic authorities also said that the child developed the symptoms on January 3 and had to be admitted to hospital on January 10 as her condition deteriorated. The civic body’s death review committee is yet to confirm measles as the cause of death.

“The girl was not eligible for the measles vaccine as the first dose is administered only after nine months of age. However, after the outbreaks of the viral infection started rising, we began an outbreak response immunisation (ORI) meant for children above five months of age,” a BMC official said.

Currently, 62 children are undergoing treatment for the disease in BMC-run hospitals. Out of the 20 suspected measles deaths so far, eight have been confirmed.