Bangaloreans cough, sniffle as viral infections reach fever pitch

Bangaloreans cough, sniffle as viral infections reach fever pitch

Afshan Yasmeen
More than 100 test positive for chikungunya in the last one month
Cold weather blamed for viral, vector-borne and diarrhoeal infections

Seven test positive for cholera in the last month in Bowring Hospital

Bangalore: Contrary to the claims of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) that the incidence of vector-borne diseases in the city has come down, hospitals are recording hundreds of suspected chikungunya and dengue cases.

Over 100 chikungunya cases have tested positive from May 13 till date in the State-run Bowring and Lady Curzon and K.C. General Hospitals.

Added to this is the increasing incidence of water-borne diseases. The hospitals are recording several gastroenteritis cases and at least seven persons have tested positive for cholera in the last one month in Bowring Hospital alone. Several cases have been referred to the Epidemic Diseases (ED) hospital.

Doctors attribute these infections to the sudden drop in temperature and rain in the city. At least seven out of every 10 patients they are seeing these days are suffering either from viral flu, mosquito-borne diseases or upper respiratory tract and diarrhoeal infections. Without proper precautions, most of them have ended up catching secondary infections.

Doctors at Bowring Hospital said they had seen more than 600 suspected chikungunya cases from May 13 to June 27. “Of these, 82 have tested positive. Most of them are from Devarajeevanahalli, Kadugondanahalli, Shivajinagar, Venkateshpura and surrounding areas,” hospital Resident Medical Officer S. Rajanna told The Hindu.

“The cold weather, rain and resultant water stagnation is causing the viral, vector-borne and diarrhoeal infections. The out-patient department in our hospital is receiving at least 140 cases with upper-respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis and viral flu every day,” he said.

Although the hospital had been sending daily reports about the cases with addresses of the patients to the BBMP health officials and the State Joint Director (Communicable Diseases) to take steps to prevent mosquito breeding in those areas, the patient flow was more from the same areas, Dr. Rajanna said.

Doctors at K.C. General Hospital, who were seeing at least 40 suspected cases every day, said 19 persons had tested positive for chikungunya in the last one month. The situation was similar in Victoria Hospital too.

“We are seeing hundreds of suspected chikungunya cases and the number has increased in the last few days,” a senior consultant in Victoria Hospital said.

“This is because of the cold weather, which is conducive for the virus and allergens to thrive,” the doctor said.