Mumbai: Three including child died of dengue and malaria in October

Three citizens including a seven-year-old boy died in the month of October due to monsoon-related ailments dengue and malaria, according to the BMC's public health department.

Besides this, 249 cases of dengue and 461 of malaria have been registered by public hospitals last month.

The health department reported the deaths on Wednesday. As per the report, waterborne diseases malaria, dengue and gastroenteritis, and H1N1 flu cases rose in October this year as compared to the same month last year.

On September 27, a seven-year-old boy from Dharavi (G/North ward) was admitted to a civic hospital with high-grade fever and body ache. He was being treated by a local doctor. When he was hospitalised, he was diagnosed with dengue. He died four days later, on October 1.

The other patient who died of dengue was a 24-year-old from Kandivali West (R-South ward). He had travelled to Uttar Pradesh and contracted fever days after his return. He was admitted to a public hospital on October 10 and died the next day. The cause of death was stated as bilateral intrapulmonary haemorrhage with haematoma, with acute kidney injury due to dengue.

On October 8, a 39-year-old man from Vakola Pipeline area died of malaria. Public health department officials said they are taking precautionary measures across the wards in the city.

"In Dharavi area, a total of 510 houses and 2,140 citizens were screened. After two cases of fever were detected in the ward during the survey, they were referred to a nearby public dispensary. In R-South ward, 750 houses and 2,250 citizens were screened. Awareness campaigns about dos and don'ts have been held in and around these areas," and official said. He added that pest control activity was carried out by the insecticide department across all wards.