With the monsoon gradually withdrawing in several regions of Maharashtra, data from the public health department showed that during this rainy season, Maharashtra has reported over 21,000 cases of mosquito-borne illnesses, resulting in eight fatalities. Mumbai, the state’s capital, has topped the chart in terms of reported cases.
Vector-borne diseases, such as dengue and malaria, thrive during the monsoon due to increased humidity and proliferation of stagnant water, which create ideal breeding conditions for disease-carrying vectors, particularly mosquitoes.
As of September 27, the state has recorded a total of 10,553 reported cases of dengue this year. Mumbai alone accounted for 3,556 of these cases, followed by Thane with 704 cases and Nashik with 606 cases.
According to Dr Mohan Joshi, the dean of Sion Hospital, dengue is preventable and persists as an annual occurrence. “While most dengue patients experience mild to moderate illness, approximately 10 percent face complications such as abdominal fluid accumulation, severe thrombocytopenia, bleeding, and respiratory issues,” said Dr Joshi emphasising that the caseload, though significant, is manageable.
The state has also reported 10,978 cases of malaria, with a significant 41 percent (4,554 cases) originating from Mumbai. The tribal-dominated Gadchiroli district closely trails behind with 4,525 cases.
In 2019 the total number of malaria cases reported in the state was 8,866 increasing to 15,215 in 2020 and further escalating to 17,341 in 2021. However, there was a decline in 2022, with the count receding to 14,671, marking a decrease compared to the preceding two years.
Mumbai consistently ranks high in reported disease cases every year, attributed to its dense population, extensive healthcare infrastructure, and robust diagnosis and reporting systems. Dr Daksha Shah, the executive health officer of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), highlighted the city’s authentic data reporting system, which has been revamped. This year, the number of reporting centers increased significantly from 22 to 880, leading to a notable rise in documented cases.
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“In the current year, we placed significant emphasis on Information Education and Communication (IEC) initiatives. The primary goal was to raise public awareness regarding the importance of maintaining clean surroundings and preventing mosquito breeding in and around their residences,” Dr Shah added.
The districts of Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, and Gondia have been identified as high-risk areas for malaria, prompting the implementation of additional precautionary measures. At the grassroots level, health authorities are issuing directives for daily home visits by healthcare personnel, particularly in regions affected by water shortages, to initiate and oversee prevention programs effectively, informed health officers.
This year, Maharashtra has reported a total of 1,283 cases of leptospirosis, with Mumbai contributing to nearly 95 percent of these cases. Leptospirosis, an infection caused by Leptospira bacteria, is transmitted to humans when they come into contact with water or soil contaminated by the urine of infected animals, including rats, mice, dogs, and livestock. According to the state’s health department data, Mumbai recorded the highest count at 1,218 cases, while Raigad reported 25 cases, and Thane documented 28 cases.
