INDIA. Mumbai: With the rapid rise in measles cases, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced the implementation of the “Outbreak Response Immunisation” drive to stop the spread of infection on Thursday.
The BMC reported 15 new measles cases on Wednesday, while the death of a 5-year-old child at Wadala in Central Mumbai was reported on Monday. The child complained of a cold, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes on November 11. On November 23, he was down with a fever. The next day the measles rash appeared over his body.
He was admitted to the hospital on November 26. On the following day, he suffered breathlessness and also showed signs of conjunctivitis. On November 28, while under treatment, his health deteriorated, and he passed away.
With this, the fatalities rose to 15 in Mumbai Metropolitan Region — 11 in Mumbai, three in Bhiwandi, and one in Vasai-Virar.
On Wednesday, the overall case tally in Maharashtra rose to 724, including 323 cases in Mumbai and 4180 suspected cases is 4180 in Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
The BMC, in a press release, stated that it plans to start Outbreak Response Immunisation from December 01. The BMC has surveyed 53,66,144 houses so far, and 4,062 cases of fever with a rash have been found, the release read.
The virus has been spreading fast, and as such, 330 additional beds have been provided in the civic hospitals in the affected areas. The Rubella vaccination drive begins on Thursday, Dr. Mangla Gomre, BMC’s Executive Health Officer, told the Transcontinental Times.
Currently, the BMC has a stock of Measles-Rubella vaccine- 55,280 doses, Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine- 28,351 doses, Red Softules-15,687-pills /capsules, and Vitamin Syrup- 15687 bottles, she added.
Kerala
Apart from Maharashtra, Kerala has been witnessing a measles outbreak, and the Malappuram district is the most affected one in Kerala. So far, the district has reported 160 cases of measles, but there has not been any mortality due to the disease.
Rabies-Maharashtra
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Health Department has declared rabies as a Notifiable Disease, and the doctors and hospitals will now have to notify the health department if a patient suspected of having rabies is admitted.
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