Mumbai: Over 11,000 people were in the grip of malaria in Maharashtra this year even as seven persons succumbed to the disease across the state, Health Minister Suresh Shetty told the Legislative Council today.
In a written reply to a query Shetty said," About 11,264 people were affected with Malaria and seven have died because of it in 2012. Also, 770 suspected patients of Dengue have been found and 75 have been diagnosed with the disease."
The issue was raised in the Upper House through a calling attention motion by BJP legislator Shobha Phadnavis.
She said Maharashtra`s Vidarbha region and especially Chandrapur district was affected with Malaria, Dengue, Gastro and Typhoid.
Also, people from both these areas are facing a lot of inconvenience in sickle cell disease detection as diagnostic centres are in Mumbai and Pune, she said.
"Out of the 15 lakh patients affected with sickle cell disease in 19 districts of the state, two lakh patients are in Vidarbha," Phadnavis added.
PTI
