Malaria cases in city lower than last year

Navi Mumbai: If the civic health department records are to be believed, there has been a decline in the number of

malaria

cases this year compared to 2015.

As per official records, the number has come down to 172 this year from 196 cases detected in the city last year.

However, they advised caution against mosquito bite and asked residents to be careful. “The recent variations in rainfall are favourable for breeding of mosquitoes. So, residents will have to be alert to prevent mosquito larvae breeding,” said an official from the municipal health department.

Had it rained continuously, water would not have stagnated and the mosquitoes would not have been able to breed. But rainless periods ensure that the eggs are not washed away.

Now, the civic officials have decided to use the 10-day Ganeshotsav to reach out to a large number of residents for creating awareness and sending out messages related to the causes of malaria and dengue and ways to prevent the diseases. The department has also devised strategies to target the crowd at various pandals and spread awareness.

“A nine-minute audio clip by Maharashtra health minister Dr

Deepak Sawant

about both the diseases will be aired at

Ganpati

pandals. All the 26 Urban

Health Posts

have been provided with at least 10 copies of the audio CD to be distributed to the pandals,” said an official.

Health workers, stationed at the Ganpati pandals, will show devotees samples of larvae formation and conditions under which the larvae thrive and explain various ways to destroy them, added the official.

According to the civic administration, even the hundred-odd people, who had malaria, contracted the illness elsewhere. “Based on detailed investigations of patients down with malaria, it can be concluded that only 1-2% contracted the illness in the city. Almost 60% of the patients were travelling and 10% are labourers arriving from other parts of the country,” added the official.
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