Another infant dies of suspected measles; toll 13

The eight-month-old child who died on Thursday developed symptoms like fever, cough, cold, rashes and difficulty in breathing

MUMBAI: An eight-month-old boy from Govandi, who was undergoing treatment in a civic hospital after developing symptoms of measles, died on Thursday afternoon.

This is the 13th infant suspected to die of the viral outbreak in city hospitals, including three kids from neighbouring cities. Eleven of these deaths have been confirmed to be due to measles.

The child who died on Thursday developed symptoms like fever, cough, cold, rashes and difficulty in breathing on Sunday, according to the information provided by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

He was immediately rushed to a nearby municipal hospital. Since his condition deteriorated further, he was taken to a speciality hospital. Despite all the medical care provided to him, the child’s health continued to worsen over the week.

“He was put on a ventilator on Monday evening. By Thursday, he started experiencing multiple organ failure. Efforts were made to revive the patient but they failed,” said a press statement issued by the BMC.

It added that the child had received all the vaccines as per the official schedule.

The death of the child has been ascribed to Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome with the presence of bronchopneumonia and measles.

The BMC continued the active case search of cases, administering vitamin A to children suspected to have measles and the intensified vaccination drive. On Thursday, 161 new cases of the viral infection were diagnosed. The health volunteers on the ground surveyed more than 10 lakh houses across the city to assess the immunisation status of the infants living there. Civic authorities said there are sufficient facilities in terms of hospital beds, ICU beds, doctors and other healthcare professionals to handle the outbreak.

Out of the 330 beds available in eight hospitals across the city, 97 are occupied currently, with 21 of them being oxygen beds, 5 ICU beds and 2 ventilators. On Thursday, 34 new patients were admitted to the civic-run hospitals on account of measles, while 36 were discharged. Health authorities pointed out that the number of children discharged from the hospitals after getting treated is more than those admitted at the moment. They have also appealed to parents to get unvaccinated children between the ages of 9 months and five years to get them vaccinated at the earliest.

A health worker immunises a child against measles at a temporary vaccination camp in Govandi on Thursday.