Measles epidemic: 9 new cases reported in Mumbai, tally breaches 500 mark

BMC recently declared a measles epidemic in the city and focused on increasing the vaccine coverage.

Around nine new cases of measles were reported in Mumbai on Wednesday, brining the tally to 505 cases. The Birhanmumbai Municipal Corportation (BMC) said no cases of deaths associated with the disease have been reported so far. 36 children with symptoms of measles were admitted to hospitals during the day, according to BMC press release. This comes after the BMC recently declared a measles epidemic in the city and focused on increasing the vaccine coverage.

Mumbai's civic body said 36 children with symptoms of measles were admitted to hospitals during the day. (File)

Read| In measles hotspots, hunger, an older malaise, is hastening fatalities

The press release said that over 65,000 of a total of 2,60,739 children between the ages of 9 months and 6 years received the additional doses of measles-rubella vaccine. a part of the drive. The BMC on November 15 said that around 20,000 children in city's measle-prone areas were unvaccinated.

The civic body is also undertaking an active search of cases by conducting house-to-house surveys to identify cases of measles. They are administering vitamin A to children in affected areas and special care is being taken to identify and help children suffering from malnutrition.

Tips| How to protect your child from measles

On December 15, the Maharashtra health department launched a special drive to immunise all children in the state against measles. According to the department, a total of 34,804 first and 33,972 second doses of the measle-rubella vaccine were administered to children as