India: Mumbai sees 13 new measles cases, 1 death; fatality toll rises to 12

Mumbai has recorded 13 new cases of measles and one death related to the disease, taking the infection tally this year to 233 so far and the fatality toll to 12, according to the city civic body.

On Wednesday, as many as 30 new measles patients were admitted to civic or state-run hospitals in the city, while 22 patients were discharged, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in a release.

Also, 156 suspected measles cases were found during the BMC's surveys, the release said on Wednesday.

The viral disease is more common among children.

An eight-month-old boy from neighbouring Bhiwandi died of measles in a city hospital on Tuesday evening, taking the toll in the city this year to 12 so far, the civic body said.

The child developed rashes all over his body on November 20 and was admitted to a BMC hospital on Tuesday evening, but died within a few hours, the official statement said, adding that the cause of death would be ascertained after an autopsy.

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The number of suspected measles cases detected so far this year also rose to 3,534, with 156 new suspected cases involving synonyms like fever and rash coming to light, it said.

Civic officials screened more than 304,000 households in 24 hours.

Measles outbreaks had been reported in 22 locations in 11 of the 24 civic wards. However, the 13 new confirmed cases were from seven different wards, including one in South Mumbai, the BMC said.

"All cases of fever with rash are administered two doses of Vitamin-A," the BMC release said, adding that the second dose is given after 24 hours.

Presently, measles patients are admitted in eight city hospitals. Of the 370 beds including oxygen and ICU beds earmarked for measles patients in these hospitals, 113 beds are occupied, according to the BMC.

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