Dengue, malaria cases in Mumbai to peak? Top 5 symptoms to watch out for as monsoon arrives

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), most people who have dengue have either mild or no symptoms. Symptoms of dengue cases start to appear 4–10 days after infection.

Dengue symptoms include:

High fever
Severe headache
Pain behind the eyes
Muscle and joint pains
Vomiting

Can dengue be severe?

It is rare for dengue cases to be severe and result in death. The health agency says those infected for the second time are at greater risk of severe dengue. Their symptoms usually occur after the fever subsides.

Severe dengue symptoms include:

Severe abdominal pain
Persistent vomiting
Rapid breathing
Bleeding gums or nose
Fatigue
Restlessness
Blood in vomit or stool
Being very thirsty
Pale and cold skin
Feeling weak

For malaria, the most common symptoms are fever, headache, and chills and they usually start to appear within 10–15 days of getting bitten by an infected mosquito. Those getting infected for the second time may see mild symptoms.

Malaria symptoms include:

Extreme tiredness and fatigue
Impaired consciousness
Difficulty breathing
Dark or bloody urine
Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin)

Mumbai remains worst-affected in dengue, malaria cases

Until July 7 this year, Maharashtra recorded a total of 3,115 dengue cases, with Mumbai alone seeing for 30 per cent cases. The city has also continued to report the highest malaria infections in the state. Of the city’s 3,498 malaria cases, 575 were caused by Plasmodium falciparum, the more severe form of the disease, while 187 were imported cases.

How other districts have fared in malaria, dengue, chikungunya cases

Among municipal corporations, Pune Municipal Corporation reported the second-highest number of dengue cases (354), followed by Thane Municipal Corporation (163), Akola (58), Kalyan (55), Panvel (55), Malegaon (50) and Kolhapur (45).

Among districts, Pune registered the highest number of dengue cases at 158, followed by Palghar (139), Dhule (122), Latur (92), Jalgaon (77), Satara (75), Akola (58) and Thane (52).

The second highest cases of malaria were detected in Thane at 227, followed by Panvel (197), Mira-Bhayandar (74) and Kalyan (65). Among districts, Gadchiroli recorded the highest malaria burden with 673 cases, followed by Raigad (147) and Amravati (65).

Palghar district reported the highest number of cases at  173. Palghar is followed by Pune district (96), Dhule (38) and Latur (33).  Among municipal corporations, Mumbai and Akola reported 28 cases each.

Health officials flag caution

Even though there have been fewer cases this year, health officials have cautioned that the peak dengue season is yet to arrive.

Dr Sandeep Sangle, Joint Director (Malaria, Filaria and Water-Borne Diseases), Maharashtra Public Health Department said, “Compared with the same period last year, we are not seeing an outbreak situation at present. However, dengue transmission can escalate suddenly.”

“People should ensure that water does not accumulate in small containers, flower pots, coolers and other household items, as these become breeding sites for mosquitoes,” he said.