Sunday, August 14 2005 14:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: With 18 more deaths in the metropolis since last night (Aug 13, 2005), the death toll due to high fever or suspected leptospirosis and other rain-related ailments in Mumbai and adjoining Thane district, has increased to 142, official sources said.

A total of 107 persons died of fever in Mumbai till date following July 26 deluge, sources said.

Altogether 700 persons with complaints of fever were admitted to various hospitals in the city in the last 24 hours ending 8 am today (Aug 14, 2005) compared to around thousand yesterday, the sources added.

With this, the total number of persons getting admitted to hospitals due to fever since July 27 has gone up to 5010, the sources said adding, many of them have been discharged.

The figure of fresh admissions in Thane district was not available, official sources said.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi had visited V N Desai hospital yesterday and interacted with patients while urging the State Government to take all possible efforts to tackle the situation.

A Central team headed by Director General (Health), Dr S K Agrawal had also visited Mumbai on August 12 and toured the affected regions, besides holding a meeting with the Chief Minister.

The team also brought along diagnostic kits for leptospirosis as there is no such facility available in Mumbai.