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Time of India
02-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
884 malaria cases in city last month, double of June 2024
Mumbai: With the monsoon picking up, the city reported 884 malaria cases last month, nearly double of June 2024's 443 cases, shows BMC's data. Chikungunya saw a concerning jump—from zero to 21 cases in the same period. According to the BMC data, Mumbai recorded 105 cases of dengue and 936 of gastroenteritis last month. Doctors said admissions surged in the month but no mortality was reported. Monsoon arrived in the city on May 26, a fortnight earlier than the usual onset date of June 11, which could have contributed to the rise. The monsoon diseases were accompanied by 551 Covid cases in June, which dropped to nil by the end of the month. A BMC official said the rise in monsoon diseases is not unexpected, especially in a densely populated city with high migration rates. "Our reporting units and surveillance system have become better, which is why we are detecting more malaria cases." You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Doctors across private hospitals are seeing a continuous flow of vector-borne disease cases, with many reporting an uptick in patients from housing societies and densely packed residential areas. "Every week, we're seeing around 12-15 malaria and dengue cases," said Dr Hemalata Arora, internal medicine specialist at Nanavati Hospital. She said dengue cases are likely being underreported. A health department official said the disease usually surges after July. A blood bank official at one of the civic hospitals in the city said the demand for platelets, which surges in monsoon because of high dengue cases, has not picked up as of now. "Recovery is high in dengue and even in malaria, particularly because we are not seeing much falciparum malaria, which tends to be more severe," Dr Arora said. Falciparum malaria usually makes up 10-20% of all malaria cases, according to health officials. Gastroenteritis cases, however, have become a cause for worry. "We saw 30-40 OPD cases of gastroenteritis every week in June," said Dr Vimal Pahuja, consultant physician at Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital in Powai. "Lab tests point to a mix of viral diarrhoea and bacterial infections." Dr Gautam Bhansali, infectious diseases specialist at Bombay Hospital, linked the surge in gastroenteritis to monsoon-related contamination. "Many patients report consuming food from outside. We're seeing several such cases, particularly among people under 30," he said. He said in the last two weeks of June, dengue and malaria surged. "Doctors have also started testing immediately, which means even those who are treated at OPD are in the numbers. There have been co-infection patients as well, but very few with high recovery and no admissions." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Another Covid-linked death in state; rain diseases rise
Mumbai: There has been another Covid-19-linked death in the state—of a 45-year-old Panvel resident who was immunocompromised with heart disease—taking the tally to 19 since May. The city on Tuesday reported 32 new cases, all with mild infections. Intermittent rainfall over the past week has also led to a seasonal uptick in monsoon-related illnesses in Mumbai, with hospitals reporting a gradual rise in cases of dengue, malaria and even chikungunya. While some patients required intensive care, physicians say the current caseload is moderate for now. "We have started seeing all expected communicable diseases with an addition of Covid-19," said Dr Hemalata Arora, an internal medicine specialist at Nanavati Hospital. A pulmonologist at one of the civic hospitals in south Mumbai said even patients with severe comorbidities along with Covid-19 are recovering. "Any deaths linked to Covid-19 are primarily due to pre-existing conditions. But it is also possible Covid-19 may worsen them by straining overall health like any other co-infection," the pulmonologist said. There are no Covid-19 patients admitted at Cama and Albless Hospital, said Dr Tushar Palve, medical superintendent. The hospital created a dedicated Covid-19 ward for women and children a couple of weeks ago. A doctor at Seven Hills Hospital said there are four cases of Covid-19, all are elderly and stable without needing oxygen support. Meanwhile, Dr Arora said, "We have just started seeing a rise in chikungunya patients." At Gleneagles Hospital, Dr Manjusha Agarwal, an internal medicine specialist, said a malaria patient developed lung complications and required ICU care. "He recovered quickly." "But we expect more such cases by mid-June. Dengue has become an endemic disease. We see it all year now, largely due to ongoing construction activities," Dr Agarwal said. A state entomologist said there is surveillance ongoing for monsoon-related diseases and data would be released in the next couple of days. Civic hospitals have yet to open dedicated fever OPDs for rain-related illnesses. A doctor at KEM Hospital said preparations for separate fever wards and OPDs will begin once cases rise.
