Heat and humidity fuel viral fever surge across Kol, hundreds fall ill

Kolkata: Even as the city continues to be singed by a lethal combination of humidity and heat, a viral fever outbreak has laid hundreds low over the last one week. While the symptoms are common — high fever, chest congestion, cough and muscle pain, the infection has been leading to acute weakness, which is delaying recovery, said doctors.

Dehydration and heat exhaustion have also been making many vulnerable to viruses, they pointed out.Peerless Hospital has received at least 10 patients with viral infections during the last one week, some of whom were admitted. “H1N1 or Influenza A seems to be the dominant strain. The symptoms have been severe in some patients, though the majority were treated at the OPD,” said Peerless Hospital chief microbiologist Bhaskar Narayan Chaudhury.Scores have sought treatment at the RN Tagore Hospital OPD with viral symptoms. Other than Influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has also been detected in some patients, according to Sauren Panja, intensivist at RN Tagore. “Exposure to heat is increasing vulnerability to these infections. Many are flitting in and out of air-conditioning frequently, leading to a change of temperature that dramatically lowers your body’s natural defences, making it much easier for airborne viruses to take hold.

Exposure to extreme heat acts as an accelerator, compounding this vulnerability,” said Panja.At Charnock Hospital, more than 50 patients have been treated for viral fever at the OPD over the last five days. “The symptoms are high fever, often sliding up to 104 degrees, subsiding on medication and rising again in four-five hours. It is often accompanied by a dry cough, muscle pain and weakness. While the type of virus remains unknown since few are tested, symptoms are typical of influenza.

Exposure to heat makes one vulnerable due to the prevailing warm and dry winds that help to carry the viruses.

Also, families are cooped up in AC rooms and if one gets infected, it is easily transmitted to others in an AC environment. Also, the body finds it difficult to adjust to sudden and sharp temperature changes, which are happening frequently now as we move in and out of AC rooms,” said Charnock Hospital emergency head Nishant Agarwal.

He added that Charnock has been treating 10 viral patients a day.There has been a surge in flu cases among children at the OPDs of Neotia Bhagirathi Woman and Child Care Centre (NBWCCC). In addition, the emergency departments at the hospital are seeing around 8-10 paediatric cases a day, presenting with high fever that points to a viral outbreak, according to Somenath Gorain, Consultant Paediatric Intensivist & PICU in charge, NBWCCC, New Town.“We have observed a noticeable rise in Influenza A (H1N1) and seasonal flu cases among children over the past month. We have managed nearly 50–60 such cases during the last month, with approximately 7–10 cases presenting in the past five days alone. Most children are reporting with high-grade fever ranging between 103F and 104F, persistent cough, sore throat, fatigue, poor oral intake, dehydration, and, in some cases, loose motions.

While the majority of children recover well with timely treatment, younger children, infants and those with underlying medical conditions remain more vulnerable to complications,” said Gorain.He added that a significant number of children have required hospitalisation for intravenous fluid support due to dehydration and poor feeding.