Mumbai Floods: 4 Die of Leptospirosis, Latest Victim 17-year-old

Leptospirosis has taken four innocent lives so far. The Mumbai floods have facilitated the disease to spread across various parts of the city.

Four people die of Leptospirosis in Mumbai. A 17-year-old boy Karan Chandu Singh has died recently because of it. As the heavy rain continues to punish the city, the disease has claimed another victim. The death count has increased to four so far.

24 cases have been reported so far in Mumbai, and this death will be the latest one in addition with the three that have occurred in Kurla, Govandi and Malad areas in June.

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‘Karan Chandu Singh (17) had visited Worli Sea Face during heavy rain and had developed fever three days later. The fever did not subside even after he had visited a private doctor in Worli. By the third day of developing fever, he had started vomiting blood when he reached Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) dispensary. ’

Doctors have attributed the flood to increase the cases of leptospirosis, which has shot up over the last fortnight. Karan Chandu Singh, the 17-year-old had allegedly delayed his hospitalization.

According to a Civic official, the teenager had visited the Worli Sea Face during heavy rain one day and had developed a fever three days later. In the very beginning, he had visited a private doctor in Worli and then when the fever did not subside; he visited the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) dispensary the very next day.

By the third day there, he had started vomiting blood. They then gave him anti-malarial and preventive medicine thinking that it was malaria. Smear test which is a standard test for leptospirosis was conducted, but the test was not confirmatory.

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When the patient was admitted in KEM Hospital a week after developing the initial symptoms of leptospirosis on July 12, he was in critical condition with respiratory distress and hemoptysis (coughing up of blood from lungs).

He was out on ventilator support that day, but on the very next day, he succumbed to respiratory distress there.

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After the 17-year-old’s death, the BMC officials have screened and covered 1,926 people living near the victim’s house. Seven people who were found to have a fever and vomiting due to diarrhea were referred for treatment.

The insecticide department has also treated 17 rat burrows with pesticides as rats are known to be common carriers of leptospirosis.

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After the heavy showers, more focus is being given to low-lying areas, which floods fast. The BMC has even distributed preventive medications to 17,106 people living in slums in low-lying areas explained a civil official.

Source-Medindia