Monsoon bugs go viral; up 50% in Mumbai

A high fever lasting for three to four days accompanied with chest congestion is the commonest ailment among children this monsoon, say paediatricians. According to doctors, there is a 40% rise in cases of viral fever than last year.

Doctors say that there has been a spurt in viral cough and every day, several people come in with a single complaint — a severe prolonged and persistent cough after a bout of fever. Doctors blame the cough on infections in the respiratory tract caused by common cold and viral fever.

Dr Vijay Yewale, convener, Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) Committee on Immunisation, said, “There is a 50% rise in monsoon ailment cases. What is different in viral fever cases this year is that patients are getting very high fever. It is accompanied by cough and cold. The second-most common monsoon ailment is jaundice and typhoid.”

Dr Anita Jain, paediatrician from SL Raheja hospital, said, “Almost 80% of cases coming to me are of people suffering from viral fever. People need to maintain hygiene to curb such illnesses. We are also getting patients suffering from loose motions and malaria.”

Several general physicians in the city said that they have seen people with coughs lasting for more than a month. Almost in all the patients, the viral fever was cured in a few days.

The common cold is an acute viral infection of the upper respiratory tract that affects the nose, throat, sinuses, larynx, and sometimes the lungs. The virus finds humid conditions favourable and it survives in water droplets.