Hospital wards across Mumbai are witnessing a rise in dengue and malaria cases. Given that the coronavirus has similar symptoms as malaria or dengue, many patients are uncertain about their afflictions.
As per figures put out by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), there were 357 cases of malaria in June, while around 230 cases have been reported in the first 11 days of July. Overall, around 2,000 cases have been identified since the beginning of 2021, officials said.
Instances of dengue are being reported from wards A (Colaba, Cuffe Parade, Churchgate), E (Mazgaon, Byculla), and G-South (Worli, Lower Parel). Officials said that 20 confirmed cases of dengue had been reported in the city since June.
In Churchgate, a resident of J Tata Road blamed a Metro-related excavation for the surge in dengue cases after four of his family members were impacted by the disease.
“Now, the pit is left open with no work going on and rainwater has been collecting there,” the resident added.
Bombay Hospital near Marine Lines has seen a dozen cases of malaria over the past few weeks. A physician at the hospital, Dr Gautam Bhansali, said that although malaria cases have increased, there have been no deaths so far. A handful of leptospirosis and seven dengue patients are also receiving treatment at the hospital right now.
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Explaining how dengue symptoms differ from COVID-19, physician Pratit Samdani said, “A distinct difference between dengue and Covid is that the former comes with high fever, retro-orbital pain and not so much with breathing difficulties.”
BMC’s Insecticide Officer, Rajan Naringrekar, said officials are currently aware of spikes in wards E and G-South, although they haven’t received complaints from Churchgate.
“Some of these wards have always seen a higher incidence due to construction projects. Metro work, too, has led to increased breeding in some parts, including the suburbs. But we are regularly treating the breeding spots and destroying them,” Naringrekar said.
However, the corporator for Churchgate, Harshita Narwekar, said several cases are emerging from J Tata Road, M.K. Road, and Marine Drive.
MLA from Mumbadevi Amin Patel said, “There was a problem with the availability of diesel and that had hit fogging, but it has been resolved now. The massive infrastructure projects are providing the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes.”
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