As fevers grip Visakhapatnam, experts have advice

Visakhapatnam: With continuous rains and wet weather conditions, a spurt in viral fevers has been witnessed in the district. During the last few days, hospitals in Vizag city have been flooded with a number of people suffering from fever. At least ten patients with symptoms of dengue are reporting to hospitals every day from various parts of the district.

The King George Hospital is receiving at least 50 to 60 patients suffering from fever each day, of which five to six are being admitted as inpatient. Of this, some are testing positive for dengue. According to KGH superintendent G. Arjuna, this number lower than last year, when 15-20 cases were reported.

 Visakhapatnam district medical and health officer (DMHO) S. Tirupati Rao said that the number of dengue cases have increased to 86 in August from 35 in July. However, 815 and 672 cases were witnessed in July and August respectively last year. There were 77 dengue cases reported in first 10 days of this month.

As the number of dengue cases has been increasing in the city, health experts have a few suggestions on how to keep the disease at bay.

Many patients consider it as a normal fever until it turns severe due to lack of awareness. The mosquito-borne infection causes severe flu-like symptoms that can be fatal.

Health experts suggest ways to diagnose severe dengue cases. The difference between top level (systolic) of blood pressure and bottom (diastolic) is 40 for a normal person. A dengue patient is likely to have a difference of 20 between the top and bottom blood pressure level. This is considered as a high-risk situation and the person needs immediate medical attention.

Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) president Dr K.K. Aggarwal said, “Precautions need to be taken round the clock as the dengue-virus carrier mosquito only recognises light, not day or night. As per recent studies, doxycycline has proven efficacy in vector borne diseases like malaria and dengue.”

He said, “Dengue is both preventable and manageable. The risk of complications is in less than 1 per cent of the cases and, if the public knows warning signals, death from dengue can be avoided. Research suggests that doxycycline can be beneficial for dengue patients at high risk of complications.”