Parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, and its neighbouring districts like Thane, Bhiwandi and Malegaon, are currently witnessing an outbreak of measles. As per recent data, 538 confirmed and 5,445 suspected measles cases have been reported in the state since January this year.
In Thane, the administration has reported 28 confirmed and 180 suspected cases of measles, while in Malegaon 51 confirmed and 131 suspected cases and in Bhiwandi, 37 confirmed and 122 suspected cases of viral infection were reported.
Nashik, Akola, and Yavatmal districts are also reporting cases of measles, but in small numbers, according to a report by Times of India.
Meanwhile, in Mumbai, seven suspected measles deaths and 164 cases of the viral infection have been reported since its outbreak in September, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Wednesday.
With 184 new cases having fever and rash on the body, the number of suspected measles cases in the city rose to 1,263, and 647 of these cases include children in the age group of 1 to 4 years, it said in a release.
The number of patients admitted in hospitals due to measles infection rose to 80 with 12 new patients admitted on Wednesday, it said.
Deaths Due To Measle Outbreak
On Monday, a one-year-old boy died of measles. The toddler from Null Bazar area, was undergoing treatment at BMC-run Kasturba Hospital in Chinchpokli since last week, a civic official had said on Tuesday.
According to BMC, though the city witnessed seven suspected deaths due to measles infection, the exact reason behind their death can be confirmed only after the death review committee gives its report.
The latest outbreak of measles is spread across eight civic wards in the city and the highest number of cases are from M-East ward of Mumbai, which includes Govandi and surrounding areas, BMC said.
Outbreak Management
As per the release, BMC has set up isolation wards for patients with mild and severe symptoms of measles in various hospitals. The highest 83 beds are made available in Kasturba hospital at Chinchpokli in central Mumbai, apart from five ventilators.
The Union Health Ministry had last week said it has deputed a high-level multi-disciplinary team to Mumbai to take stock of the upsurge of measles cases in the city. The team will assist the state health authorities in instituting public health measures and facilitate the operationalisation of requisite control and containment measures, it had said.
Meanwhile, Tukaram Mundhe, commissioner National Health Mission has said a mop vaccination round has already been ordered. “All districts have been asked to vaccinate children who have missed their measles doses by November 30,” he said.
(With PTI Inputs)
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