Fever outbreak in Mumbai
The fever outbreak in Mumbai is taking ominous proportions with the toll of fatalities rising over 60 since the monsoons set in Mumbai. What is significant is the rising number of cases of the deadly disease—leptospirosis.
The queue outside mobile clinics set up by the BMC is long and there is a desperate attempt to stop rising casualties following what is now being seen as a fever outbreak.
Not surprisingly, the BMC is now waking up to the need to sanitise various localities in the city to curb the spread of dreaded diseases like Malaria and Dengue, both of which are spread by mosquitoes breeding in still water. Though BMC is in a damage control exercise not many residents are happy with the stop gap measures.
But the biggest concern now is leptospirosis. Many people in Mumbai have fallen prey to it after wading through water polluted by animal excreta and garbage. Over 150 people are suspected to be infected with leptospirosis and over forty others are critically ill.
“I think even general practitioners may be taking it little lightly. Whenever these cases were brought to civic hospitals they were in really bad condition and it become very difficult to deal with such cases,” said Dr Jairaj Thanekar, former BMC Health Officer.
There are many low lying areas in Mumbai which are densely populated and prone to water logging. This is precisely the reason why the maximum number of leptospirosis cases are reported from such areas.
Though, now BMC is trying to take preventive action, it is only going to last till the next rains and water logging wash all these efforts away.
(By Deepthy Menon)