Measles death toll climbs to eight in Mumbai; most deaths in the age group of 1-2 years

As on Thursday, two patients were reported to be on ventilator support with the suspected ailment.

Out of the total deaths suspected to be due to measles, one is of an infant in the age group of 0-11 months; five in the age group of 1-2 years and two in the age bracket of 3-5 years. Five of the victims are boys and the remaining girls. A total of seven deaths have been recorded in M-East ward, which covers Govandi which ranks the lowest among the 24 civic wards in Mumbai.

“Measles is most common among children who fall in the age bracket of 1-2 years if they haven’t taken the MR-1 and MR-2 vaccines. They are more vulnerable to the disease mainly because their immune systems aren’t fully developed. The recovery rate among older children is higher,” said Dr Bakul Parekh, past president of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP).

Measles is one of the leading causes of diarrhoea, pneumonia, and lowering of immunity among others, which leads children to get stuck in the vicious cycle of various diseases and malnutrition.

Measles is one of the leading causes of diarrhoea, pneumonia, and lowering of immunity among others, which leads children to get stuck in the vicious cycle of various diseases and malnutrition.

“Of the eight children who succumbed to the disease, seven weren’t fully vaccinated against the virus which made them more susceptible to the infection,” said an officer from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

In the state, a total of 36 outbreaks — more than five cases of measles in an area – have been detected. In all, a total of 509 confirmed cases of measles have been recorded of which 164 or 32 per cent are from Mumbai.

“We have been holding camps to vaccinate the children who have missed their MR doses. We have been providing vitamin A doses and reaching out to the people for vaccination with the help of the local corporators, priests and maulanas,” said Dr Mangala Gomare, executive health officer, BMC.

After Mumbai, Malegaon Corporation (51), Bhiwandi Corporation (37), Thane Corporation (28), Nashik (17), Thane rural (15), Akola (11), Nashik and Yavatmal corporation (10 each), and Kalyan-Dombivali and Vasai-Virar (nine each) are among regions that have witnessed the most cases.

The state has overruled the fear of outbreak in other districts. “In Bhiwandi and Malegaon, the last outbreak was recorded in September and August. During the change of season, we generally witness cases of measles. In other districts, there hasn’t been any spike as witnessed in Mumbai,” said an officer from the state health department.

In 2022, till now, the cases of suspected measles have increased by almost two times compared to the previous year. In 2021, the state recorded 3,668 suspected cases of which 92 were confirmed as measles. However, this year, the number of suspected cases has increased to 6,421 with 503 confirmed cases (See box).

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde held a meeting with the health department where he advised officials to track the children who have missed their MR-1 and MR-2 vaccination. He also asked them to tackle vaccine hesitancy. Besides, he appealed to the public to get their children between the age group of nine months and five years immunised.