If You are Sick Stay at Home

Doctors say that seasonal viruses are multiplying because of dampness in the air. There is 25% increase in patients with viral infections.It is because people are moving in clusters or not maintaining hygiene. The people with the infection don’t stay at home and therefore the infection spreads faster. However, the number of patients with H1N1 influenza is on the decline.

People should ensure their houses are well ventilated. Because of the cold, they usually keep windows and doors closed but that helps virus breed easily. Also, they don’t wash hands frequently. Children touch objects handled by infected people and this helps the virus spread. The infection starts as a general viral infection but turns into a secondary bacterial infection because the local immunity comes down and that’s when doctors prescribe antibiotics.

Asthmatic patients need to take special care in this season. They should continue with preventive medicine, don’t do strenuous exercise in the morning and protect their faces from the cold wind. The cold weather irritates their windpipes so they suffer more.

DOCTOR’S ADVICE

• Keep yourself warm
• Drink warm liquids, eat warm food
• Avoid frozen food or stale food
• Avoid exposure to people with infection
• Wash hands frequently
• Close mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing
• If You are Sick Stay at Home. This prevents spreading of infection

Times of India

Pre-monsoon season brings virus back

Long queues at the out-patient departments of government hospitals and increasing waiting list of patients at private hospitals indicate coming back of virus in the city. There is a an increase in the number of viral fever cases reported from hospitals in the city and various parts of the state. At Bowring Hospital and Lady Curzon Hospital, 40 viral fever cases are confirmed a day on an average.

As on Monday, 22 persons with severe symptoms of viral fever have been admitted and put on IV fluids. Similarly, at K C General Hospital, an average of 30 viral fever patients are being attended everyday. According to BBMP chief health officer Dr L T Gayatri , in 113 BBMP hospitals and dispensaries, there have been a regular flow of viral fever cases with more than 100 cases being reported everyday.With the recent rain providing an opportunity for mosquitoes to breed, dengue and fever with dengue-like symptoms are also increasing. From the BBMP hospitals alone, 22 dengue and 27 positive chikungunya cases have been reported.

According to the State Surveillance Unit (SSU), 23 out of the 29 districts in the state are affected by gastroenteritis caused mainly due to lack of access to clean drinking water. According to SSU, most significantly , malaria cases are increasing tremendously, especially in districts like Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Tumkur, Kolar , Dakshina Kannada, Udupi urban, Chitradurga and Bellary. Chikungunya cases are also on the rise in districts like Gadag , Bidar, Yadgir, Hassan, Belgaum and Kolar.Influenza-like illnesses are predominant in Mysore , Mandya and Belgaum.

The district programme officers, health officers and staff at PHCs have been alerted to create awareness about precautionary measures. Maintain the cleanliness of water sources Promote hygienic sanitary facilities. Use only clean and safe drinking water. Avoid stagnant water and control mosquito breeding.