Cases of Typhoid, Respiratory Issues See Uptick In Delhi Hospitals; Here’s How To Protect From Unseasonal Rains

Unseasonal rains in New Delhi: Hospitals in Delhi are witnessing an increase in upper respiratory tract infections, typhoid and gastroenteritis patients due to unseasonal rains and weather changes. According to doctors, the number of such cases has almost doubled due to increased awareness about such infections necessitated by the pandemic.Also Read – Swine flu, dengue, malaria cases on the rise in Mumbai: BMC urges everyone to follow guidelines

Consultant Pulmonologist and Dr. “These days, we are getting more than 20 patients a day in the OPD with complaints of upper respiratory tract infections, undiagnosed prolonged fever, typhoid, swine flu, allergies, pneumonia and dengue,” said Bhagwan Mantri. A critical care specialist at Moolchand Hospital told news agency PTI that infections occur in all age groups but when respiratory tract infections occur in the elderly, they take a severe form. Also Read – What is scrub typhus? You need to know about the bacterial infection that killed a 12-year-old boy in Meerut

According to experts, there is usually an increase in infectious diseases every year after the monsoon. But unlike previous years, unseasonal rains in the national capital have also seen an increase in cases of scrub typhus and leptospirosis in some hospitals. Also Read – First monkeypox case in Delhi: Govt instructs hospitals to report suspected cases, guidelines issued

Scrub typhus is an infectious disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, a tick-borne bacterium. The chigger mite, the larval stage of the mite, transmits the disease to humans from animals such as rats, squirrels and rabbits. Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection spread through the urine or feces of rodents and cattle.

Here’s how to protect yourself from unseasonal rains

1. Drinking six to eight glasses of water every day is a surefire way to boost your immune system. Make sure you take it from a clean source as contaminated water is a major cause of diarrhoea, typhoid fever and cholera.
2. The DOH explains that leptospirosis is common during the rainy season because “infected animal waste products (such as urine and feces), especially rodents, contaminate soil, water, and vegetation, especially during floods.”
3. Maintain personal and environmental hygiene. Wash fruits and vegetables before consuming. Make sure open drains and manholes in your vicinity are closed.
4. Dengue is caused by a virus transmitted by mosquito bites. Avoid storing stagnant water in open containers as this can encourage mosquito breeding.
5. Simple fun activities like watching a movie or playing a board game can put you in a positive mood.

Stay safe and healthy 🙂