Monsoon maladies on the rise

Mumbai: Mumbaikars continue to reel under monsoon ailments this rainy season, especially vector-borne diseases. Citizens are falling prey to viral infections and three deaths from leptospirosis and one from dengue have been reported so far, even as suspected cases of leptospirosis and dengue are trickling in at hospitals across the city.

According to the Brihanmumbai Munic-ipal Corporation (BMC) health department, there have been 356 confirmed cases of malaria, 21 of dengue, 94 of hepatitis, and five of leptospirosis. More than 297 cases of dengue-like illness were also admitted in various civic-run hospitals.

The third leptospirosis death case was reported on Wednesday. A 21- year-old woman succumbed to leptospirosis on Wednesday.

She had an old wound on her leg and contracted the infection after walking through floodwater, according to the BMC health department.  

According to BMC’s executive health officer, Dr Padmaja Keskar, “Mosquito-borne diseases are common in the monsoon and to prevent leptospirosis we urge people not to venture into puddles, muddy grounds or water ponds formed due to incessant rains. Rodents are responsible for leptospirosis infection.”

She added, “Due to storage of dirty, stagnant water and garbage there has been growth in the number of mosquitoes, giving rise to diseases.”

Earlier, two leptospirosis death cases were reported from Govandi and Kurla. Govandi’s Imitiyaz Mohammed Ali (28) died on June 26 at Sion Hospital.

Ali was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit on June 23 for severe fever, chills, headache and joint pain.

However, a senior civic health official stated that the cause of death would only be confirmed after the epidemiology death review committee report.

On June 25, a 15-year old Kurla resident succumbed to the infection in the same hospital. The teenager Parab Ramesh Kale used to travel to his school to Chembur.

On June 22, before going to school he played football in a muddy ground and contracted the infection.

Advisory for prevention of Leptospirosis:

Avoid contact with water or soil contaminated with urine or blood of rodents or carrier animals those with history of walking through flooded water should consult doctor within 72 hours.

People involved in high risk occupation (Vegetable sellers, animal handlers) should wear protective footwear and adopt a good standard of hygiene.

Keep surrounding clean and avoid indiscriminate disposal of garbage which may attract rodents and stray dogs who are one of the main reservoirs of Leptospirosis.

Inform Pest Control Officer of the concerned ward if there is rat nuisance.

Keep pets in clean condition and avoid contact with animal water.
Use gumboots while walking through stagnant water.

If symptoms like high fever, headache, myalgia, redness of eyes occur seek medical advice immediately.

Do not self medicate.