Dengue, Viral Fever Cases Increase In Delhi-NCR; Cases of Swine Flu Reported

New Delhi: City doctors on Monday said that they are seeing an increase in cases of viral fever, dengue in the national capital region. Recent floods have doubled cases of dengue over the last three weeks and are the highest reported in the last six years, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said in its latest statement. 

Cases of swine flu and typhoid are also being reported. Speaking to IANS, Ajay Aggarwal, Director of Internal Medicine at Fortis Hospital in Noida, said that there is an increase in the number of acute febrile illness cases. “Viral cases like influenza and dengue have been on the rise. Patients coming in with low platelet counts are seen with an increased frequency since the last month. However, not all cases of low platelet are dengue,” Aggarwal said.

“Patients generally present with high grade fever with chills along with generalised malaise, weakness, joint pains, cough, vomiting or loose stools — all of which are included in the viral prodrome syndrome, the doctor said. In addition, there is also swine flu (H1N1). Aggarwal said “10-15 cases of H1N1 flu have been detected in our hospital”. 

However, no cases of Covid have been reported yet, he noted. “There has been a 20-25 per cent rise in people coming with flu-like symptoms,” Tushar Tayal, Lead Consultant, Department of Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, told IANS.

“Some elderly patients have also required hospital admissions, and consequently developed pneumonia and bronchitis,” he added. Tayal said that dengue cases have reduced slightly, compared to the last two weeks. But certain patients are showing overlap in symptoms, who present flu-like symptoms which upon tests are turning positive for dengue, the doctor noted. 

In addition, there have been multiple cases of hepatitis and typhoid. This was also confirmed by online community platform LocalCircles in its recent survey which showed that one in two households in Delhi-NCR now has one or more individuals with viral symptoms. 

Households impacted have more than doubled in the last month. The survey, which included over 9,000 residents from Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad, revealed a sizable jump in people who are unwell with 50 per cent of households surveyed being affected now than last month.

“Blood investigations like CBC are usually done on the third day of fever onset which may reveal low platelet count and neutropenia (low TLC),” Aggarwal said. Also, since dengue causes decreased immunity, it may be complicated by secondary bacterial infections as well, he said. “Treatment of viral febrile illness involves symptomatic management of fever along with adequate hydration. Patients are advised to seek doctor advice in case of very high grade fever, persistent vomiting, bleeding, severe loose motions or respiratory distress,” the doctor noted.