Chennai faces surge in viral infections, flu cases amid rainy weather | Chennai News

Chennai: Rains and a week-long drop in daytime temperature have led to an increase in respiratory illnesses caused by a cocktail of viruses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) And COVID-19say doctors in the city. They also warn people about the increased risk of diarrheal illnesses and mosquito-borne diseases such as: Dengue fever and chikungunya.
Occupancy rates in children's wards and children's hospitals have increased to almost 80%. RSV, a contagious virus, is one of the most common infections in children, said senior pediatrician Dr. S. Balasubramanian. Children have a runny or stuffy nose, cough, sneezing, fever, irritability, and decreased appetite. “Most children brought to clinics recover well within three to four days with rest and medication to treat symptoms. However, some may require hospitalization if the cough worsens or complications such as difficulty breathing occur.”
In adults, the most common infection is the most common flu caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms such as headaches, body aches, sore throats, fever and respiratory problems can be serious. While annual vaccinations can prevent the severity of flu, especially in high-risk people such as the elderly and those with low immunity or comorbid conditions, maintaining social distancing or wearing a mask in enclosed, crowded spaces helps, said Public Health Director Dr. TS Selvavinayagam. “This is the season for fevers, cases could increase in the next few weeks.”
The state health laboratory also found that RSV and influenza A are the most common causes of fever. Scientists said they continue to actively collect samples to look for common and active strains. “We are examining samples from government and private hospitals. The results will help make policy decisions on prevention and initiate microcontinental measures to prevent complications and deaths.”
Last month, Health Minister Ma Subramanian said the entire genome sequencing facility built during the pandemic to analyze strains of the Covid-19 virus will be used to analyze the dengue virus. “Equipment and materials were installed two weeks ago. We have started work.”