Mumbai, November 18: The death toll due to suspected measles rose to eight in Mumbai as confirmed measles cases in the state registered a nearly six-fold rise -from 92 in 2021 to 503 in 2022.  There have been 26 outbreaks in the state this year compared to just one last year.

Sakina Usman Ansari succumbed to complications of measles at Kasturba Hospital on Thursday evening. The six-month-old infant had been hospitalised on November 13 with bad lungs and breathing difficulty. Civic officials stated her cause of death as septic shock with measles with bronchopneumonia. Measles Cases on Rise in Mumbai: What Is Measles? How Does It Spread? Know Causes, Symptoms, Transmission and Treatment of the Viral Infection

Chief Minister Shinde reviewed the measles outbreak situation at a meeting at state secretariat in south Mumbai on Thursday and directed the BMC to take help of religious leaders in spreading awareness about vaccination. CM Shinde said that the spread appears to be because of lack of immunisation and added that the government is making attempts to spread awareness about the need for immunisation by contacting local religious representatives and prominent people in the community.

CM Shinde said that BMC has already vaccinated around 12,000 children as a preventive measure. Good News For Freedom Fighters in Maharashtra, CM Eknath Shinde-Led Government Doubles Monthly Pension to Rs 20,000

Besides Chief Secretary Manukumar Srivastava and BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, a few ministers were also present at the meeting.

As per the state report, there have been 14 outbreaks in Mumbai, seven in Bhiwandi and five in Malegaon in 2022. BMC chief I S Chahal informed those present at the meeting that Mumbai had 169 confirmed and 2,623 suspected cases. He said more than 900 immunisation centres had been opened in the city

In the evening, the chief minister visited the civic-run Kasturba Hospital in central Mumbai to take stock of the situation. During the visit, he interacted with families of children infected with measles and also hospital staff, said the bulletin.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 18, 2022 10:38 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).