With the rain setting in, chances are mosquito-borne disease like malaria and dengue will spread.
It’s not just the rain that’s coming down hard in the city, but several diseases too. Along with the rain, viral fever and dengue have made their presence felt already.
“There has been a 20% rise in the number of patients with viral fever over the past three to four days. The number is expected to go up if the weather remains the same for a week or so,” said Dr Aravind Jagadeesh, consultant (internal medicine), BGS Global Hospital.
With patients complaining of fever, running nose, throat pain, eye congestion, vomiting and upset stomach, a doctor must be consulted if the fever persists for three days, added Dr Jagadeesh.
“We’re recording more cases of viral fever, pneumonia and asthma due to the dip in temperature,” said Dr Sanjiv Rao, senior consultant (internal medicine), Manipal Hospital. People should keep themselves warm and avoid self-medication and consult doctors immediately if they have flu-like symptoms, he added.
Along with viral fever, Bangaloreans have to contend with dengue too. The number of suspected cases reported in hospitals has not dipped. Now, thanks to the weather, doctors say dengue-related cases may rise. “With the rain setting in, if water is allowed to stagnate, it will become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. There are chances that mosquito-borne disease like malaria and dengue can spread this season,” said Dr Poornima
Parthasarathy, senior consultant (infectious and internal medicines).
That’s not all. Rain brings with it high chances of water contamination. “We should be cautious about drinking water. We should drink boiled water. Avoid drinking water when away from home and avoid junk food to avoid waterborne infections such as gastroenteritis and cholera,” she added.
This weather is also ideal for the spread of H1N1 infection as the virus spreads rapidly in cool and damp atmosphere, said Dr Parthasarathy.
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