City grapples with Malaria

There has been a 38 per cent rise in the number of cases this year

While authorities are busy fighting the battle to bring down the number of COVID-19 cases and mortality rate in Mumbai, the city is now also grappling with another disease, malaria.

There has been a 38 per cent rise in the number of malaria cases, which is comparatively much more than last year. Last year, there were 824 malaria cases in August. However, this year, the number has increased to 1,137. Meanwhile, other monsoon ailments have reduced by less than 50 per cent. Health officials said the city records the highest number of malaria cases in the months of August and September. However, they have taken various measures to keep it under control. Dr Mangala Gamore, executive health official, said community awareness drives with information, education and communication (IEC) on the symptoms was organised across civic wards. This also involved activities like daily disease surveillance, early diagnosis and treatment and the implementation of immediate control measures.

“We have instructed all hospitals, dispensaries and health posts to increase blood smear examination for all suspected cases. Along with this, they have also been asked to conduct rapid antigen tests in high risk

areas or high risk transmission zones to rule out the possibilities of COVID-19 and administer radical treatment to those found positive,” Dr Gamore said.

In addition to Malaria, 53 gastroenteritis cases, followed by 45 leptospirosis, 10 each of dengue and hepatitis, and one of H1N1 were recorded in August. Dr Rahul Tambe, senior consultant, Internal Medicine said, there has been a spike in monsoon diseases, especially malaria, in Mumbai. Although malaria cases are a cyclic phenomenon, it shares some of its highly recognizable symptoms with COVID-19, such as fever, headache, and breathlessness, amongst others. “The definitive way is to correctly identify the underlying infection. Hence, it is important that proper diagnosis is done for COVID19 and malaria patients immediately upon arrival. People are advised to take all precautions and report symptoms as soon as they occur and not delay treatment,” he said. Dr Gautam Bhansali, who consults with Bombay Hospital, said among non-COVID-19 admissions, many have started seeing malaria cases. “Among monsoon ailments, we are mostly seeing malaria. We have treated a few cases with COVID-19 and malaria infection. All recovered,” he said. “Fall in gastro cases was expected as people are mostly having home food and water,” he added.