Rise in leptospirosis, swine flu cases worry Mumbai docs

The civic administration is struggling to deal with an increase in leptospirosis and swine flu cases in Mumbai

The civic administration is struggling to deal with an increase in leptospirosis and swine flu cases in Mumbai.

On Sunday, a 31-year-old Vikhroli resident died of leptospirosis, taking the death toll caused by the bacterial infection to 16 this year.

Meanwhile, a 34-year-old Kalachowkie resident died of the H1NI virus at the Kasturba hospital in Chinchpokli on Saturday. The hospital is treating six swine flu patients.

“To control leptospirosis, a house-to-house survey is essential, which is tough in populous slums. And the spread of swine flu has been unpredictable this year,” said a senior doctor.

Doctors said they were worried about the sudden spurt in swine flu cases.

“For the past three days, we are receiving reports of two to three swine flu cases every day. Some are from private hospitals,” said Dr Mini Khetarpal, chief of civic epidemiology cell.