Measles outbreak in Mumbai: 8-month-old child dies, 13 new cases registered

Around 156 suspected measles cases were found during the BMC's surveys. The viral disease is more common among children. The tally of measles cases reported in the city since the start of the year rose to 233.

Pic: Pixabay (representational purposes)

Mumbai: Mumbai on Wednesday recorded 13 new cases of measles and one death related to the infection, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. As many as 30 new measles patients were admitted to civic or state-run hospitals in the city during the day while 22 patients were discharged, the BMC said in a release. Also, 156 suspected measles cases were found during the BMC's surveys. The viral disease is more common among children. The tally of measles cases reported in the city since the start of the year rose to 233.

An eight-month-old boy from neighbouring Bhiwandi, suffering from measles, died in a city hospital on Tuesday evening, taking the toll in the city this year so far to 12. The child developed rashes all over his body on November 20 and was admitted to a BMC hospital on Tuesday evening but died within a few hours, the official statement said, adding that the cause of death will be ascertained after autopsy. The number of suspected measles cases detected so far this year also rose to 3,534 with 156 new suspected cases with synonyms like fever and rash coming to light. Civic officials screened more than 3.04 lakh households in the last 24 hours.

Measles outbreaks had been reported in 22 locations in 11 of the 24 civic wards. But the 13 new confirmed cases were from seven different wards including A ward in South Mumbai. "All cases of fever with rash are administered two doses of Vitamin-A," the BMC release said, adding that the second dose is given after 24 hours. Presently, measles patients are admitted at eight city hospitals: Kasturba Hospital, Shivaji Nagar Maternity Home, Bharatratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital, Rajawadi Hospital, Shatabdi Hospital, Kurla Bhabha Hospital, Krantijyoti Savitribai Phule hospital, Borivali, and Seven Hills Hospital. Of 370 beds including Oxygen and ICU beds earmarked for measles patients in these hospitals, only 113 beds are occupied, according to the BMC.