Extra dose for four lakh children in state's measles-hit hotspots as 1 more infant dies

Mumbai: Nearly 4lakh children in hotspots of 10 measles-hit districts in the state will be administered an additional dose of the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine to tackle the surge in cases.

 This is even as the measles death toll in Mumbai Metropolitan Region rose to 14 on Thursday, with another 8month-old from Govandi succumbing to complications of the disease.

The state government has decided that children from 56 blocks in the state, including Mumbai, which is currently witnessing an increased transmission, will be given the extra shot. Sanjay Khandare, principal secretary (health) told TOI that the decision was taken following instructions from the Centre to take extra measures. The dose will be only for children between 9 months and 5 years living in pockets seeing an outbreak, irrespective of vaccination status. In Mumbai, the additional dose will likely be given in selected wards reporting measles cases, not the entire city.