Maharashtra: 28,400 malaria cases in 2011. 40% higher than 2010

[Ronan Kelly]

Rise in pre-monsoon malaria cases
Umesh IsalkarUmesh Isalkar, TNN | Jun 1, 2011, 11.44pm IST

PUNE: Even before the onset of the monsoon, Maharashtra has recorded over 28,000 cases of malaria. From January to April this year, 28,400 people were found positive for malarial infection - an increase of over 8,000 cases as compared to the corresponding period last year when 20,091 cases were reported. With 16,833 positive cases and 11 deaths due to malaria in the last four months, Mumbai continues to bear the highest burden of the disease in the state followed by Thane (709 cases) and Kalyan (182 cases).

"Climactic conditions with temperature up to 30 degrees Celsius and a humidity level above 70% is favourable for mosquito-breeding. Such conditions prevailed on most days in the last four months in Mumbai. That is one of the reasons why there was a higher number of malaria cases during the pre-monsoon period," Ashok Bhosale, entomological consultant to the state government on malaria told TOI on Monday.

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In 2010-11, 1,38,605 positive cases were recorded in the state, a higher figure than the 85,435 cases recorded in the previous year. In 2007, 67,850 cases were registered and 67,333 cases were registered in 2008. To control the growing mosquito menace, the state health department had to seek technical support and expertise from the Union government.

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...monsoon-malaria-cases/articleshow/8685285.cms

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Maharashtra: 28,400 malaria cases in 2011. 40% higher than 2010

3 died of malaria at Sassoon this year
Umesh IsalkarUmesh Isalkar | Jun 10, 2011, 02.04am IST

PUNE: As many as three people, two of whom are from Pune, have died due to malaria at the Sassoon hospital between January and April this year. The PMC health department, however, expressed ignorance about any such deaths in its jurisdiction. The death figure was confirmed by the medical record section of the Sassoon hospital.

The first casualty was Raniya Ajit Nishad, 32, a resident of Kolbewadi in Khadakwasla. She was admitted on January 1 and she died on January 5.

Bharati Deepak Sawant, 22, a resident of Karve road, died due to mixed malarial infection - caused by P falciparum and P Vivax strains of malaria. The death occurred on February 19. "Sawant was admitted to our hospital on February 17. She had tested positive for both strains of malaria. She was a resident of Kedar Empire, opposite SNDT College, Karve road," the Sassoon official said.

The third victim, thirty-eight-year-old Janabai K Bhore, a resident of Shetiphale, Aatpadi in Sangli district, died on April 20. "Bhore succumbed to cerebral malaria. She was admitted to our hospital on April 10," the official said.

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After TOI informed the civic health officials about the addresses of both the victims, the officials visited their homes. R R Pardeshi, health chief of Pune Municipal Corporation, said, "Our health official went to one the victim's house in Karvenagar, but their family members didn't let them enter. Khadakwasla is not in our jurisdiction, but I will confirm if Nishad died due to malaria or something else."

Sadashiv Patole, head of the PMC's insect-control department, said the Sangli does not fall in his jurisdiction. "The other two patients might have come from adjoining districts as these deaths have not been reported to us. It is often seen that patients coming from neighbouring areas furnish local address of their relatives who stay in Pune."

"The number of malaria, dengue and chikungunya cases reported by the civic body's health department is just the tip of the iceberg. Majority of the cases remain vastly underreported," said a private medical practitioner.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-at-Sassoon-this-year/articleshow/8794899.cms