Hyderabad: After the festival, the fearsome fever. Cases of respiratory problems, bacterial and stomach infections, and dehydration are seeing a sharp rise in the aftermath of the festival season.
“The reason is that large numbers of people get packed together in various areas, as also their intake of outside food and water, all of which lead to infections,” medical experts say. Explained Dr S. Shanker, general physician, “The larger the crowd, the more likely the spread of viral infections. Cough, lack of hygiene and less of hand-washing are major problems. Everyone wants to participate in festivals, even if one is not well. The festival fever will see them out of their homes. This ends up in the spread of a lot of infections.”
While H1N1 is the most common, there are also other viral fevers, upper respiratory track infections and severe cough, all of which have seen major rise after the festival.
Similarly, urinary track infection and dehydration are two major problems seen in women who have to hold their bladder for want of good toilets; and, due to constraints, they drink less water.
Dr RR Raghu, general physician, explained, “There is a sharp rise in urinary tract infections as many women tend to hold their bladder for three to four hours at a stretch. This is wrong as the brain gives the signal that the bladder needs to be emptied, and due to hold-back, that the bladder muscles become weak or inactive. Within a few years or in advanced age, these women come back with problems of loose bladder etc as it becomes inactive due to improper use.”
Similarly, dehydration in elderly women leads to their sudden fainting in the middle of an event. A recent case at a Garba night had a 56-year-old woman collapsing on stage, making everyone nervous. Krishna Patel, her friend, explained, “She became cold and we were scared she had a stroke. She was rushed to the emergency care center where three bottles of glucose were administered, followed by a battery of tests. Later, the doctor explained that she was severely dehydrated.”
Members of the Mahila Sabha say there is a need to have a guide-book on how to maintain health while participating in festivals. In many countries, the organisers will have some of the community women monitoring the food preparations.
Even then, there would be cases of stomach trouble and fungal infections. Gulab Chand Shah, an organizer in Koti, explained, “The handling, processing, cutting of vegetables etc require care. There are so many orders for caterers that no one is willing to listen to these hygiene tips.”
