As temperature rises in city, viral infection cases drop

Ahmedabad: The city was in the grip of infections till mid-April with OPDs full of patients of fever, influenza A, H1N1, Covid besides diseases such as mumps and scarlet fever among children. Physicians in the city however had some good news that there has been a drastic reduction in cases since last week.

“Compared to normal years, viral cases saw a prolonged period.

Instead of Feb-end, we have seen swine flu and influenza cases till mid-April due to fluctuation in temperatures,” said a city-based physician. “While cases persist in some pockets, the number is minuscule. We do see patients with travel history and those who complain of classic symptoms including fever, blocked nose, throat irritation and muscle pain.”

Dr Chetan Trivedi, a city-based paediatrician, said that the year saw a spike in cases of mumps. “The phenomenon was recorded across India, and it was often attributed to removal of mumps from the vaccination programme. While rare, some of the patients reported severe symptoms. Till mid-April we saw five to 10 cases in OPDs every day, which reduced to one today,” he said.

“One of the reasons for the higher spread of mumps was group activities and the season of crowds. With schools closed, chances of a widespread outbreak are very less,” said Dr Nishchal Bhatt, a paediatrician in the city. “With rise in awareness, the parents have got their children vaccinated for major diseases. Cases of scarlet fever have also reduced considerably.”

With chances of a severe summer ahead, experts have advised citizens with immunocompromised conditions to exercise caution and ensure hydration and regular breaks for children and adults alike.

We also published the following articles recently

Rains threaten to spike dengue cases in city Recent rain in Nagpur led to 131 dengue cases from Jan-Mar. Aedes aegypti thrives in clean water, making Nagpur a hotspot for urban dengue. Cases concentrated in Hinghanghat, Wardha & Sironcha, with varied testing methods raising concerns.

Bank holiday in several cities on April 19 due to Lok Sabha elections Phase 1; check details Lok Sabha Election 2024 from April 19-June 4 triggers bank closures in various cities. Public holidays declared in Uttarakhand, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu. Tripura banks shut on April 20 for Garia Puja.

Heatwave in nine districts till April 22: Met Bihar grapples with scorching heat as temperatures soar above normal in multiple districts. Patna issues yellow alert for heatwave in several areas. Mercury expected to remain high, reaching 40-42 degrees Celsius.