The 34-year-old patient who died of leptospirosis on July 4 had a history of wading through rainwater. (Representational)With a significant rise in cases of swine flu or H1N1 and monsoon-related diseases in Maharashtra, a total of six deaths were reported from Mumbai this year, of which, two deaths each were related to dengue and swine flu and were reported in July. In the same period, there was one death each due to malaria and leptospirosis, said health officials under Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Mumbai city recorded a total of 97 new malaria cases between August 14 and 21. As on August 21, the city had 509 cases. This number would be much higher taking into account the fact that the BMC does not have the cumulative number of patients who undergo treatment at private hospitals.
During the same period, the city witnessed 35 and 32 new swine flu and dengue cases respectively. This took the tally to 105 and 163 patients in Mumbai who have been diagnosed with dengue and swine flu respectively.
After reviewing 28 deaths, the civic death committee of the BMC confirmed six deaths — which includes an eight-year-old girl from R-South ward who died of dengue. As per the information provided by the BMC on June 19, the patient developed fever, abdominal pain, vomiting and loose motion. Later, she was rushed to a private hospital where a blood investigation revealed dengue infection. On June 22, when her condition deteriorated, she was rushed to a government hospital where she suffered cardiac arrest and succumbed to the infection. She is the youngest fatality of the year.
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The BMC’s death committee medically analyses the deaths and then certifies the deaths according to the diseases.
Another 38-year-old person from H-East ward that covers Santacruz died of dengue on July 7.
Dr Vimal Pahuja, Internal Medicine at Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital, Powai who has treated over 100 patients with dengue since July said that most of the patients diagnosed with dengue are young.
On July 11, the city registered its first swine flu death when a 42-year-old man from C-ward succumbed to the infection. The patients with a travel history from the USA and Kashmir landed in Mumbai on July 9. He soon developed symptoms and died in the next 48 hours.
In the next 15 days, another patient, a 44-year-old male from K-East ward that comes under Andheri East, died on July 26. He had comorbidities like hypertension and obesity.
“We are seeing many dengue patients with complications who need to be monitored closely to avoid fatality. These patients appear to be very weak due to fever and dehydration. They need to be hospitalised to avoid complications. Besides malaria and dengue, other mosquito-borne illnesses are also on the rise,” said Dr Manjusha Agarwal, senior consultant, Internal Medicine, at Global Hospital, Parel, Mumbai.
The doctor has advised to take timely treatment as all fevers should not be dismissed as viral. Try to get blood tests done for diagnosis, he said.
The 34-year-old patient who died of leptospirosis on July 4 had a history of wading through rainwater. “Blood investigation revealed thrombocytopenia and leptospirosis infection. The patient expired within 48 hours in spite of all resuscitation measures,” said Dr Mangala Gomare, executive health officer, BMC.
A 55-year-old person with a history of vomiting and loose motions for two days and fever for five days was declared dead on July 23. He died on the same day of admission. “His cause of death was acute respiratory failure due to falciparum malaria,” she said.