Mosquito-breeding increases during August-September due to pools of stagnant water

Data compiled by an NGO has revealed that there has been a surge in the number of deaths in the city due to dengue and tuberculosis.

The Praja Foundation procured the data through an RTI response, collecting data from all Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) hospitals and state health departments.

The statistics revealed deaths caused by dengue was more prevalent in the age group of 20 and 59 years.

Andheri (west) K West Ward has emerged as the hotbed of diseases, registering the highest number of deaths in the period from April 2011 to December 2015.

Meanwhile, the dengue deaths were more from September to December. The number of dengue cases in Mumbai from April 2011 to March 2016 was 15,244.

Milind Mhaske, project director, Praja Foundation, said: “The diseases indicate the poor living conditions and facilities of the city dwellers. The data from various civic-run hospitals clearly showed dengue and TB was on the rise.”

The total dengue deaths in the year 2011-12 were 62, which rose to 77 in 2012-13, and 111 in 2013-14. In 2014-15, the death count dipped slightly to 102, but again rose to 124 in 2015-16.

Meanwhile, tuberculosis was another disease that took a toll on the city population with 8,375 deaths in 2011- 2012, 7,170 in 2012-2013, 7,319 in 2013- 2014, 6,501 in 2014- 2015 and 4,077 in 2015- 2016.

Dr Mini Khetrapal, in-charge of BMC’s epidemiology department, said, “There has been a rise in dengue cases. However, I have not seen the data of Praja to make a comparison with last year’s numbers. Mosquito-breeding proliferates during August and September as pools of stagnant rainwater are formed, ratcheting up dengue cases.”

BMC executive health officer Dr Padmaja Keskar said, “This is the season (August-September) when we typically see a surge in dengue cases.”