MUMBAI CONTINUES TO FIGHT AGAINST MEASLES OUTBREAK

Mumbai: Even as the COVID-19 cases are going down steadily in Mumbai, the city is struggling to control the outbreak of measles among children as eight deaths and 184 confirmed cases have been so far been reported in the city, as per civic officials. Poor living conditions, big family sizes, lack of proper health services, sanitation facilities and nutrition, poor immunity, missed vaccine doses and reluctance for the inoculation are some of the major reasons for the outbreak of the disease in the city, they said. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has so far detected 2,900 suspected cases of measles with patients having common symptoms like fever and rashes this year as against 25 cases recorded in 2020 and nine last year. The outbreak has officials worried, especially since the government has targeted to eradicate it by 2023 end. The maximum spread of the infection is in the slum-dominated M-east ward—home to Mumbai’s largest dumping ground—followed by L-ward comprising Kurla and Chunabhatti areas.