Health data released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has revealed that as of August 15 this year, as many as 415 cases of malaria, 28 cases of leptospirosis and 79 cases of dengue have been recorded in the city.
Civic officials said that the figures at the same time last year stood at 1,048 cases of malaria, 39 cases of leptospirosis and 93 cases of dengue. The civic body also recorded 376 cases of gastroenteritis, 81 cases of hepatitis and three cases of cholera.
While one person died owing to leptospirosis both in July and August, one person died due to dengue in July and one due to malaria in August. A civic official said, “The leptospirosis victim who died in July was a 25-year-old man from Kandivali. He contracted the disease after swimming in a local lake. He was admitted to a private hospital on July 24 and passed away on July 28.
In August, the victim was a 50-year-old man with a history of tuberculosis. He also had a smoking and drinking habit. He was admitted to a local hospital in Chembur on July 31 and died on August 8.” The person who died of dengue in July was a 32-year-old woman from Kurla who was admitted to Sion Hospital on July 23 and died on July 24. The malaria victim was a 52-year-old resident of Worli who was admitted on August 5 and died on August 6, officials said.
The BMC has undertaken comprehensive drives to prevent similar cases, including pest control, rodent control, fumigation, screening hundreds of households and providing medical aid to scores of patients.