Rise in influenza cases in Hamirpur as mercury dips: Dr Naresh Purohit
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Shimla, Dec 11 – As the hill state shivers with a drop in temperature, there has been a spurt of fever and flu cases.
In the last nearly two months, there has been an increase in upper respiratory and lower respiratory tract infection cases, said Dr Naresh Purohit, Advisor- National Communicable Disease Control Programme.
Voicing his concern on this issue the noted Epidemiologist Dr Purohit told UNI on Sunday that the patients typically have fever, cough, sore throat and runny or stuffy nose. However, most patients recover with treatment.
Acclaimed Infectious Disease expert Dr Purohit pointed out that apparent reasons are likely to weather driven. The air is cooler and less humid, which can help some viruses grow and spread more easily and thereby increase the number of viral infections.
He said of late there has been an “unprecedented” rise in respiratory infections. “In view of covid appropriate behavior (CAB), the incidences of other respiratory infections were less but since the end of the third Covid wave, there has been an unprecedented rise in respiratory infections not only in the elderly but in the young too,” he said, adding, “most of the infections were due to viral infections.”
He urged people to take precautions and if needed, visit a doctor instead of self-medication.
“Precautions are better than cure and as such people need to take all necessary measures. People have to cover themselves with warm clothes, take flu shots, avoid smoking and stay indoors,” he emphasized.
He advised people against going out in the cold, be it for early-morning walks or late-night rides. “If people are to go out, they have to take extra protective measures to keep themselves warm,” he said.
