Chopra fourth casualty, 50% rise in cases this yr

Legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra became the fourth person to die of dengue in the city. Even as the city has witnessed a decline in the number of malaria cases this year, there has been over 50 per cent rise in dengue cases as compared to 2011.

Symptoms of dengue are high fever, bodyache and nausea. It also affects the blood platelet count. A platelet count below 50,000 can be fatal. It is essential to ensure that the platelet count does not drop too low, failing which the patient may suffer haemorrage and multiple organ failure.

The disease has claimed 18 lives in the state this year. According to BMC, there have been more than 600 cases this year as compared to 417 last year from January to September. The BMC, however, said it was taking necessary steps to check the spread of the disease. "We have been fumigating and applying larvicide treatment at breeding spots. We have also been training medical officers to correctly diagnose dengue and provide accurate treatment. We have requested private labs to provide us information on positive cases," said BMC executive health official Dr Arun Bamne.

Additional municipal commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar said the situation is under control and there is no need for panic. She said there was a decline in the number of dengue cases after monsoon this year.

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