Malaria Menace Grips Mumbai, 4 More In 24 Hours.

Mumbai is inundated again, but this time with the mosquito menace! With the death toll adding another four in the last 24 hours, the total malaria-related deaths now count 19, while another 1,739 have tested positive for malaria in civic hospitals along the city.

Spotting over 100 fresh mosquito breeding grounds in the F South and North wards during a Saturday morning survey, Dr. J Thanekar, executive health officer, BMC marked, “We are a bit worried about malaria. This is because there is water stagnation at most construction sites there.”

Ironically, while the overall monsoon-related death toll stands at 54 since the first showers in June -of which 26 account for malarial deaths - civic authorities have maintained that there is no reason to panic.

While yearly comparisons show as fall of malaria cases from 7,210 cases reported between January to June in 2007 to 6,287 cases this year, the rising cases of P Vivax malaria strain- known to be less virulent till recently – is the cause of concern.

Of the total 2,898 persons reportedly infected with malaria so far, over 2,400 patients cases were with vivax malaria.

Making adequate efforts to stop the breeding of mosquitoes, the BMC has procured 17 Ultra Low Volume (ULV) spraying machines. The environment-friendly machines are designed to control breeding of adult mosquitoes and reaches out to those corners which are otherwise physically non-accessible like closed bins, tyre tubes, water tanks and scrap items.

Though, the fogging stops mosquito breeding for at least a fortnight, the authorities are also looking at providing weekly treatments to control mosquito breeding at building construction sites, civic officials emphasized.

"It is difficult for the BMC to inspect all overhead and loft tanks where the larvae breed," said Dr Jairaj Thanekar, executive health officer, thereby urging people to come forward and do their part.