AS JULY comes to an end, the changing weather has rapidly increased the outbreak of viral fever. This time, enteroviruses, adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, and H2N2 are hardest hit among patients. In the past 15 days, the number of patients in the OPDs of city hospitals has increased by 20 to 30 percent. Hospitals are seeing a large number of patients arriving daily with high fever, cold, cough, body ache, red eyes, and vomiting-diarrhoea. Seeing the rising crowd, the health department has instructed all PHCs, CHCs, and district hospitals to keep a buffer stock of paracetamol, ORS, antibiotics and pathology kits. Talking about the symptoms of enterovirus, adenovirus, rhinovirus, and H2N2, patients suffering from H2N2 influenza experience high fever, dry cough, and body ache. Adenovirus causes fever along with red eyes and vomiting, while rhinovirus causes common cold and sore throat. Meanwhile, enterovirus is a major cause of high fever along with vomiting and diarrhoea in children. When ‘The Hitavada’ team spoke with Dr Lalit Kumar, Head of the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at BMHRC regarding this matter, he stated that currently around 100 to 110 patients are visiting the chest OPD daily, whereas previously the number used to be 60 to 70.

 

A heavy increase is being observed in viral diseases like cold, cough, fever, runny nose, asthma, and phlegm during this season. Along with this, the number of severe asthma patients being admitted has also increased from 10-15 to 25 to 30. Dr Lalit also mentioned that various diseasespreading viruses remain active in the environment during this season and make people sick, with enterovirus, adenovirus, and rhinovirus being the main ones. Dr Lalit Kumar advised that patients should take special precautions during this season. Use a regular mask while stepping outside and avoid coming into contact with already infected or coughing/cold-suffering individuals. Asthma patients should not stay in damp places or indoors all the time; instead, they should take in sunlight. Follow your regular medications routinely and also get the influenza vaccine once a year. Regarding the same matter, when a conversation was held with Dr Subhash Malviya, Paediatrician at Jawaharlal Nehru Gas Relief Hospital, he stated that due to water logging in this season, virusspreading mosquitoes breed more, and due to filth, a large number of flies also generate, making people sick. Diseases like high fever, dry cough, body ache, red eyes, and vomitingdiarrhoea are being seen more frequently this season. Currently, 25 to 30 percent more patients are coming to the OPD; therefore, people should maintain cleanliness around them, avoid eating open food available outside, use masks, and stay away from infected individuals.