Fever cases drop by 64%, civic body says referred patients to special clinics

Fever cases in the city have reduced by 64% in the last two months, states the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). For the first time since 2016, Mumbai has

Fever cases in the city have reduced by 64% in the last two months, states the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). For the first time since 2016, Mumbai has reported as low as 1,700 fever cases in a month. The civic body claims that such a dip was because people with fever were referred to Covid-19 fever clinics for symptomatic treatment. However, activists claim that due to the lockdown, several patients failed to reach hospitals.

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According to the data provided by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in the first five months, the city reports an average of 3,000 fever cases. After an initial rise in the number of fever cases to 4,749 in March this year, it dropped steeply in April to 1,703, a 64% decrease. In May, the number marginally increased to 1,745.

As fever is considered the main symptom of Covid-19, suspected patients rushed to hospitals in a large number.

“The inflow of patients with fever-like symptoms doubled at civic and private-run hospitals. In the initial days, several societies and officers were also demanding non-Covid certificates from people with fever. Thus, we decided to form fever clinics to bifurcate the suspected patients,” said Dr Daksha Shah, deputy health officer, BMC.

When fever clinics started coming up in the city, all symptomatic patients were referred to these centers. “All patients with fever were referred to these clinics for examinations. Thus, we witnessed a dip in fever patients,” said Suresh Kakani, additional commissioner, BMC.

However, health activists have refuted the civic body’s claims. They state that due to unavailability of vehicles and closure of OPDs, the patients were forced to take medicines over the counter.

“With the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, people got scared and they even refused to visit a hospital for treatment because of the fear of getting quarantined. Also, all the nearby private clinics closed down, they had to be dependent on chemist shops for medications,” said Dr Ravikant Singh, a city-based health activist.