Two die of water-borne illnesses

Two more people succumbed to monsoon-related diseases in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll to 37. Of the two dead one was a 55-year-old male patient from Malad who died of fever at KEM Hospital while two-month-old baby from Reay Road succumbed to gastroenteritis at Nair Hospital. Leptospirosis, which has claimed 13 lives since the beginning of June, is the biggest cause for concern, followed by viral fever, which has claimed 10 lives and malaria which has claimed eight lives so far.

In the last 24 hours, 145 cases of fever, 48 cases of gastroenteritis, 15 cases of leptospirosis, seven cases of suspected dengue fever and 55 cases of malaria have been reported across civic and private hospitals in the city.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) health department, however, says that the monsoon had been kind to the city this year. “This is partly due to rising awareness,” says Dr Neera Kewalramani, head of epidemiological cell, BMC. In 2007, monsoon set in on July 2 and there were 229 cases of leptospirosis which claimed 22 lives in that month alone. This year, there have been 117 cases and 13 deaths so far, says Kewalramani.

The BMC has sent out repeated warnings to people asking them to refrain from eating road-side food as well wading through water. “Despite the rising levels of awareness, there are many who continue to wade through water without proper footwear,” says Kewalramani.

Authorities in public hospitals attribute the rise in the number of patients to the increasing population in the city. “One must consider the fact that the population of the city is constantly rising, so this rise in the number of diseases is expected,” says an official.
Doctors say people need not panic. With viral fever topping the list of most common monsoon-related illnesses, what most patients need is just rest and nutrition, say doctors. “Patients need to have faith in the treatment and follow the doctor's advice,” says Dr Dr SN Acharya, general practioner, Kurla.