Measles outbreak in Mumbai: Govandi flaunts a proud zero

A vaccination camp against measles underway at Govandi. File pic

After being in the grip of multiple measles outbreaks for over 40 days, Govandi seems to have stopped the spread of the viral disease. The suburb and its vicinity have not reported a single case in the past 7 days, while the number of suspected cases has halved, said civic officials. If the current trend continues, there won't be any new cases in January, they said, underscoring that BMC's efforts at raising awareness are paying off.

The measles outbreaks came to light after mid-day reported on November 7 that three children died in 48 hours at Rafi Nagar in Govandi. This prompted the BMC to launch a door-to-door survey, which exposed more cases.

So far this year, the M-east ward, which covers areas like Govandi and Deonar, has reported 71 confirmed measles cases, the highest in the city. Since November 7, seven kids have died of the viral disease in the city, while over 600 suspected cases have been reported.

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"Since last week, not a single confirmed case of measles has been found here, nor has anyone died. Apart from this, the number of suspected patients has also halved. Earlier, 35 to 40 suspected patients were being found daily, but now the number has come down to 10 to 15," said a civic official.

Another official said, "We are seeing a drop in suspected cases in many wards. However, every ward health officer has been asked to stay alert and continue the surveillance of suspected cases. Apart from routine immunisation, the outbreak response immunisation will be helpful as children will have additional immunity after the jab."

Action within 24 hours

A senior health official said their campaign in M-East ward to control measles has started showing results. Doctors practising in slums have started informing the BMC of suspected cases. The corporation has also roped in religious leaders to coax parents to get their children vaccinated.

Jabs in morning, evening

Since many parents leave home in the morning to earn their daily bread and return only in the evening, the BMC will now hold vaccination sessions in Govandi late in the evening and early morning, said BMC.