Mumbai registers first malaria death this year

In Chembur, a 50-year-old man died of leptospirosis. “He had walked through water and was an alcoholic and a smoker for 20 years. Four days before his death, his urine flow had reduced,” a civic official said.

The Tilak Nagar resident, also a tuberculosis patient, died on August 4. The BMC confirmed that the death was due to leptospirosis, the first death recorded this month. This year’s leptospirosis death toll now stands at nine.

In August, 28 leptospirosis cases have been recorded in BMC hospitals and dispensaries.

Following the recent deaths, BMC health officials screened 4,000 people living in the neighbourhood of both the deceased. In 125 homes, rats poison has been administered, and in 255 houses, mosquito breeding has been inspected. “But no breeding was found,” said an officer.

On July 28, a 25-year-old man from Kandivali died due to leptospirosis after he took a swim in a local lake.

This month, with less rain and change in weather, doctors said, more people are likely to get viral infection. “This is also an ideal time for mosquitoes to breed,” a BMC official said.

While 79 confirmed dengue cases have been diagnosed so far, at least 1,183 people have dengue-like symptoms. On Thursday, BMC’s death committee confirmed one dengue death. A 32-year-old woman from Kurla died of dengue shock syndrome and respiratory distress on July 24.

Cholera cases

Sporadic cases of cholera that first surfaced in July have reappeared this month in E (Byculla, Madanpura) and F-North (Matunga) wards. So far this year, nine cholera cases have been recorded in the city with most from E ward where water pipelines are one of the oldest. While six cases were recorded in July, three were reported in August.

According to civic officials, all three patients who were diagnosed in August are stable. In July, cholera cases were reported in Madanpura (E ward), Mulund (T ward), Kurla (E ward), Dhana Bunder (B ward) and Byculla prison and Hathibaug (E ward). In 2015, eight cholera cases had been detected in July. In 2016, seven cases were reported and in 2017, one case was reported.

Cholera is caused by faecal matter that leads to acute diarrhoea and death in few hours if no treatment is provided.