Separate OPD services to check influenza spread

Gurugram, March 6

With over 40 per cent rise in flu cases linked to influenza A and B, the Health Department has put all community and primary healthcare centres and private hospitals on alert. It has also started separate flu OPDs.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Virender Yadav has issued a treatment protocol and cautioned against self-medication and overuse of antibiotics. “We are witnessing an outbreak of both influenza A and B cases. We are getting patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and pneumonia, both bacterial and viral,” said Yadav.

The infection usually lasts for about five to seven days and symptoms such as cough, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, fever, body ache, and diarrhoea can be observed in the patients. The fever goes away at the end of three days, but the cough can persist for up to three weeks. People experiencing high fever and breathing difficulties have been asked to immediately report to hospitals. Children and senior citizens and patients with comorbidities have been put on alert. The doctors also blame the surge on compromised immunities owing to Covid and have recommended usage of flu vaccination.

Dr Manoj Goel, Director of pulmonology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, said, “The common flu or influenza infection affects the people in different age groups with different severity. The patients show atypical pneumonia, chest infections, respiratory distress, and low-level of oxygen in blood. The common flu this year is highly infectious and can affect all the family members. The symptoms are mainly cough, fever, throat pain, hoarseness of voice, and breathing difficulty. People with with heart and lung diseases are very vulnerable to the infection.”

The infection can last from two to six weeks and a distressing cough is a major issue. It disturbs their sleep and sometimes leads to vomiting. Apart from this, no adverse complications have been encountered.