The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Hospitals record rise in viral infection cases

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Tuesday, Aug 05, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Hospitals record rise in viral infection cases

Afshan Yasmeen

Keep yourself warm and eat properly cooked food: doctors

Rain and drop in temperature have led to a spurt in diseases
‘Cold weather is conducive for the virus to thrive’

Bangalore: Are you seeing a lot of coughing, sniffling and watery eyes of late? Blame it on the season.

An estimated seven out of 10 patients your physician has been seeing these days are suffering either from viral flu, mosquito-borne diseases or upper respiratory tract and diarrhoeal infections.

Without proper precautions, most of them end up catching secondary infections.

The sudden drop in temperature and rain in the city have brought their share of infections with it.

Most city hospitals and private clinics are recording an increased number of patients with symptoms of viral flu, respiratory tract infections and gastroenteritis over the last few days.

Dengue cases

While the State-run Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital has even received two positive cases of dengue fever in the last four days, more than five cases have been treated for the disease at the Victoria Hospital.

“The cold weather, rain and resultant water stagnation are causing several viral, vector-borne and diarrhoeal infections. The out-patient department in our hospital is receiving at least 140 cases with upper-respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis and viral flu every day,” hospital resident medical officer S. Rajanna said.

Apart from fever and cold that are common during this season, problems such as amoebic colitis, bronchial spasms and asthmatic attacks get aggravated.

“This is because of the cold weather, which is conducive for the virus and allergens to thrive,” K.R. Raveendra, assistant professor at the Department of Medicine, Bangalore Medical College and Research Centre, said.

Precautions

“Viral fever is a contagious illness. People are susceptible to this illness during the first few showers of the season. I have also seen patients with typhoid and malaria in the last few days. The best thing is to take precautions to stay fit,” he said.

Advising people to keep themselves warm and eat properly cooked food, Dr. Raveendra said: “Those who step out early morning and late evening are exposed to the cold weather and are more likely to catch a viral infection. Special care should be taken to ensure that children and the elderly — who are more vulnerable to such infections — are not exposed to the cold weather.”

Most people visiting private clinics in the city are complaining of symptoms such as running nose, body pain, headache, sore throat, fever and cough and in some cases, wheezing too.

According to T. Anil Kumar, who practices in Peenya Dasarahalli and also in M.S. Ramaiah Hospital, if common cold and fever are not controlled in children it might lead to complications such as pneumonia.

Symptoms start with restlessness and inactiveness among children, while adults experience body ache and a slight rise in temperature.

“Precautions during this period are necessary, lest the patient catches secondary bacterial infection such as high fever, cough and cold, some leading to respiratory failure,” he added.

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