Monsoons bring perfect storm of Covid-19 infections and seasonal ailments

It’s shaping up to be a ‘perfect storm’ scenario, with the public facing a convergence of health threats — from upper respiratory infections like the common flu, influenza, and swine flu, to water-borne illnesses such as typhoid, and vector-borne diseases including dengue, chikungunya, and Covid-19.

Hyderabad: With the threat of Covid-19 infections and seasonal diseases looming large, the transition from summer to monsoons couldn’t have come at a more inopportune time.

It’s almost like a ‘perfect storm’, as the general public now has to deal with multiple threats of seasonal diseases in the form of upper respiratory infections such as common flu, influenza, swine flu, water-borne infections including typhoid, vector-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya, and Covid-19 infection.

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Senior doctors in Hyderabad advise people to be cautious and prepared, aware and vigilant of the emerging threats from infections associated with seasonal transitions.

“This is a time of transition and adaptation for the human body from hot summer to cooler monsoons. Fluctuating temperatures can put strain on the body’s immunity and this is when infections like Covid-19 are more likely to emerge,” advises Dr B Ravinder Nayak, Director of Public Health (DPH), Telangana.

The combined burden of Covid infections and possible increase in seasonal diseases has the potential to overwhelm healthcare infrastructure, diagnostic facilities, and medical personnel.
Already, over the past 24 hours, local private nursing homes, clinics, Basthi Dawakhanas and the outpatient wings at Fever Hospital and Gandhi and OGH general hospitals have started to witness a jump in patients walking-in with viral fevers, flu and common cold.

The monsoon season also provides ideal breeding conditions in the form of stagnant water for Aedes aegypti, the mosquito that transmits dengue and chikungunya. The mosquito (Aedes aegypti) prefers human blood, indoor biting and breeding in artificial containers that are close to human dwellings, making it ideal for transmission.

“Some doctors are claiming that since there was a huge surge of dengue and chikungunya cases last year, there could be a drop in such cases this year. However, there is ample historical and recent data indicating that dengue and chikungunya also occur in consecutive years. Therefore, people must take precautions by getting rid of mosquito breeding spaces,” public health officials familiar with the issue said.

Unique Covid-19 symptoms this year (laryngitis and skin rashes)

This year’s Covid-19 infections are causing unique symptoms like laryngitis and skin reactions like rashes among positive patients. There could be multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 behind the recent surge of Covid infections and the symptoms among positive patients should not be taken lightly, public health officials pointed out.

The most common kinds of symptoms that a majority of Covid positive patients have include prolonged fever, fatigue, lethargy, throat pain along with laryngitis, change invoice, hoarseness, throat irritation that worsens at night.

Apart from all this, Covid positive patients are having Urticaria, which are also known as hives or rashes. The itchy rashes could be red, sometime pink and even skin colored. Unlike normal flu-like symptoms, patients with Covid like symptoms will take a longer time to recover. Better to utilize or wear masks in closed spaces.

Health advisory issued by Director of Public Health (DPH), Telangana, Dr B Ravinder Nayak:

Dengue and Chikungunya precautions:
• Secure doors and windows with mosquito nets / screens.

• Cover beds and cribs with mosquito nets.

• Use mosquito repellents as precaution.

• Maintain domestic drains to prevent water stagnation.

• Cover septic tanks with a mesh to prevent mosquito breeding.

• Observe Friday- Dry Day every week to get rid of stagnant water

Acute Gastroenteritis, Jaundice and Typhoid precautions:

• Drink filtered / boiled water.
• Wash hands, especially before and after meals.
• Avoid eating outside stale food
Viral fevers and Influenza
• Avoid shaking hands, with someone who is sick, or when sick yourself
• Use hand sanitizers often to avoid being infected
• Use hand -kerchief when you sneeze or cough
• If you have flu like symptoms i.e. cough with fever, headache, sore throat and associated body pains, please go to nearby Government facility