Hyderabad under the grip of severe viral fevers and dengue surge

Hyderabad is witnessing a surge in viral fevers and dengue-like infections, with over 3,000 outpatients reported daily at Fever Hospital, OGH, and Gandhi Hospital. Doctors say most cases involve children with mild to high fever, cough, and body pain.

Hyderabad:  Hyderabad is in the grip of viral fevers and dengue-like infections, as small and medium private clinics, nursing homes, State-run Fever Hospital at Nallakunta, Basthi Dawakhanas are registering a rise in the outpatient departments.

A majority of cases being reported are affecting children. They are displaying typical symptoms of viral fevers including cough, body pains, sore throat, runny nose, and sometimes normal and even high-grade fever. A few are also developing rashes, and are being treated as suspected dengue cases, doctors said.

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“Cases of viral fevers have increased, as our outpatient inflow also has increased. We are receiving anywhere from 900 to 1200 patients on a daily basis from Hyderabad and districts. Almost all of the patients are being prescribed at the outpatient counters and recovering in three to four days,” Senior Resident Medical Officer, Fever Hospital, Dr A Jayalakshmi said.

Similar is the case at Gandhi Hospital and Osmania General Hospital, which have registered a marked rise in OP inflow. Due to the rise in patient walk-ins, in-charge Superintendent and Additional Director, Director of Medical Education, Dr N Vani, who visited the OP facilities on Wednesday, directed officials to extend outpatient timings up to 1.30 pm, instead of 8.30 am to 12.30 pm.

At present, OGH and Gandhi Hospital outpatient inflow is over 2,000 per day, with a majority of patients with either viral fevers or dengue and chikungunya-like symptoms.

The Director of Public Health (DPH), Dr B Ravinder Nayak in an earlier advisory, had urged people of Hyderabad to take necessary precautionary measures from vector and water-borne ailments such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, typhoid and gastroenteritis.