Doctors urge caution due to rise in viral and dengue cases in Delhi

By Shalini Bhardwaj And Joymala Bagchi
New Delhi [India], September 11 : Following a sudden spike in the number of dengue, viral and scrub typhus cases among children in hospitals, doctors in the national capital have called for taking precautionary measures against these diseases.
According to Sr Pediatrician of Sir Gangaram Hospital, Dr Dhiren Gupta, cases are likely to increase more in the next two months due to the prevailing humid weather.
In Sir Gangaram Hospital, out of 100 cases in OPD, most of the children are testing positive for dengue, viral fever and scrub typhus.
"For past 15 days, it has been dominantly viral, but it is majorly of daily fever cases. Though if we are getting 100 patients in OPD then 50 per cent of patients are of dengue, 40 per cent viral especially of influenza, and another infection that is a respiratory syncytial virus which we call RSV, and in 10 per cent we are getting scrub typhus from Delhi especially from green areas where a lot of greenery is there. There are many societies where greenery is there," said Dr Gupta.
Cases of the viral infection transmitted by the day-biting mosquito Aedes aegyptii mosquito started in the month of August. The cases are likely to start reducing after temperature dips in October.
According to Dr Mamta Jajoo, Professor Pediatrics, Head of the office, Chacha Nehru Hospital, an exponentially high number of viral fever cases have also been reported in the hospital.
"Cases of viral fever among children is exponentially high this year. The OPD is functioning 24*7. Normally OPD sees 700/800 patients every day, but for the last one week more than 1,800 patients are coming each day only during the day and evening time. We are seeing approx 300 patients each night," Jajoo said.
"Have not received any corona positive patients these days but can't loosen up. 100 per cent of our ICU beds are occupied and even more. This is just in the case of viral fever. Cases of dengue, malaria will tend to increase with time due to heavy continuous showers," she added.
Further, Dr Gupta also said that many dengue patients are landing in ICU this time, "Now past 15 days that many of the Dengue cases are actually landing in ICU. Almost 50 per cent of our ICU is occupied by dengue infection, and they are very complicated in form of a lot of bleeding a lot of multi-organ failure."
On prevention, Dr Gupta said, "Need to take care of stagnant water. Mosquito usually breeds in freshwater which is not flowing at individual at house level. We need to prevent the accumulation of water around."
He also emphasized that, "Nowadays, unfortunately, many of anti-mosquito repellent are not working. Mosquitoes have become a little resistant to those smells you can say."