Malaria, dengue cases on the decline in October, says BMC

BMC officials said the civic body has already ordered improved pest control operations and increased fogging operations across the city to prevent the spread of vector-borne diseases

Mumbai: While doctors across the city have raised concerns about a surge in malaria and dengue cases in recent months, senior officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) claim the numbers have begun to decline in October.

BMC officials said the civic body has already ordered improved pest control operations and increased fogging operations across the city to prevent the spread of vector-borne diseases. (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)

“The number of malaria and dengue cases have fallen in the first half of October compared with September. Malaria cases seem to have declined as per the corresponding year-on-year comparison from the first half of October last year,” said executive health officer at BMC, Dr Santosh Gaikwad, without revealing the actual figures.

According to the BMC, Mumbai recorded 7,422 malaria cases and 2,941 dengue cases between June and September this year. During the same monsoon period last year, the city recorded 5,144 malaria cases and 3,356 dengue cases. While malaria cases have risen sharply year-on-year, dengue cases have declined.

BMC officials said the civic body has already ordered improved pest control operations and increased fogging operations across the city to prevent the spread of vector-borne diseases. Gaikwad added that public health centres were equipped to treat patients of malaria and dengue.

Even as the civic body reports a decline in infections, doctors say the severity of some cases this year is a growing concern.

Dr Deepak Baid, founder of Nulife Hospital in Ghatkopar, said around 80% of patients at his 50-bed multispeciality facility were being treated for fever-related illnesses.

“Malaria and dengue cases are noticed every year. But this year, particularly in the past three months, we found that in the case of dengue, the fall in platelet count has been very swift, with the disease becoming severe in a matter of days. Also, these days, the fall in blood pressure and severely low blood platelets is accompanied by the shutdown of the kidneys, resulting in patients being taken to the ventilator,” he said.

Baid also said that dengue cases are particularly being found among young adults in the age group of 20-30 years. “Unlike earlier, when instances of haematological dengue were on the rise, these days the Shock Syndrome Dengue has been on the rise, where dengue is accompanied by high blood pressure, which makes it difficult to treat,” he said.

The former president of the Association of Medical Consultants said that since dengue has no cure and can only be managed, the medical fraternity was looking with much hope to the dengue vaccine, scheduled to be available by the end of this year.

However, Dr Ajanta Yadav, a practising doctor and corporator from Kandivali, accused the BMC of being inadequately prepared to deal with the rise in monsoon-related illnesses.

“Although 45 staffers have been contracted for every city ward specifically for fogging and pest control services this monsoon, the operations were inadequate and irregular. Besides, Aapla Dawakhana, run by the BMC, does not operate throughout the day. Results of dengue tests are also given after many days, which delays the onset of the treatment,” she said.

Yadav also alleged that civic hospitals lack sufficient medication and beds to treat dengue patients, with some patients being forced to share beds. “There have also been instances of patients being denied admission and care in hospitals, all of which does not speak well of the health services delivered by the BMC,” she added.