The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Take care, say doctors, it is the virus season

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Wednesday, Dec 23, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Take care, say doctors, it is the virus season

Staff Reporter

Hospitals see a rise in viral infections and swine flu symptoms

Care must be taken to keep children, elderly warm
Many people are reporting symptoms of bronchial asthma

— PHOTO: K. GOPINATHAN

FIRST IN THE QUEUE: A father dandles his toddler on his knee as he waits for the doctor.

Bangalore: The sudden dip in temperature in the city has brought a slew of infections with it, and hospitals are recording a rise in those suffering from various viral infections, including upper respiratory tract infections and swine flu symptoms.

Although common during this season of the year, an increased number of people are reporting symptoms of bronchial asthma, lung and upper respiratory tract infections and viral fever, said doctors.

Most affected by these infections have common symptoms such as running nose, body pain, headache, sore throat, fever for three or four days, cough and, in some cases, wheezing. Some of these also develop into pneumonia, if ignored, doctors warn.

Viral fever

Doctors at the State-run Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital are seeing at least 25 more cases with symptoms of viral fever and respiratory infections.

“Of the 700-and-odd out-patients we get every day, at least 40 report symptoms of viral fever. This number has increased in the last 10 days and we are getting 25 additional cases with similar complaints,” said S. Rajanna, Hospital Resident Medical Officer (RMO).

Balagangadhar Tilak, Medical Superintendent, Victoria Hospital, said the situation was similar in his hospital. “This is the season of flu and respiratory tract infections. We usually get 50 to 60 cases of viral flu. However, this figure has increased by 30 in the last few days.”

Swine flu

Doctors at the K.C. General Hospital said they are seeing an increased number of patients with swine flu symptoms apart from the usual viral flu cases. “Although not all of them can be classified under the ‘G’ category whose throat and nasal swabs need to be tested, they are being given Tamiflu,” said M. Vishwaradhya, Medical Superintendent.

Shashidhar Buggi, Director, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD), said there was an increase in the number of Influenza A(H1N1) cases.

“While we screened 394 persons for A(H1N1) in November, we saw 237 patients from December 1 to December 18 alone. While 42 tested positive and one patient died in our hospital in November. Some 31 have tested positive so far in December,” Dr. Buggi said.

Pointing out that this may be an indication that the second wave of A(H1N1) was approaching, Dr. Buggi said the State health machinery is gearing up to tackle the situation.

Advising adequate precautions, Dr. Rajanna said: “Those who step out in the early morning and late evening are exposed to the cold weather and are more likely to catch a viral infection.”

Asthma attacks

Apart from fever and cold, bronchial spasms and asthmatic attacks get aggravated because of the cold weather. Children and the elderly are more vulnerable to infections during this season and special care should be taken to keep them warm and avoid exposing them to the cool breeze, he explained.