In several districts of Tamil Nadu, doctors are reporting a 25% increase in the number of flu-related fever, cold and cough in recent weeks, mainly affecting school-going children.
While speaking to IANS, Dr. Manonmani. G, a professor of pediatrics at a government medical college in Tamil Nadu, said: “With the relaxed COVID protocols, people are refraining from wearing masks and this may be one of the reasons for the return of illnesses like flu among children in Tamil Nadu, which was on hiatus for the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Respiratory syncytial virus cases in Tamil Nadu
He said that new forms of virus are present among the samples taken for research and that most of the children are affected by the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), which has replaced pneumonia as the common causative agent of the common cold and fever. between children.
Dr. Manonmani also said that after the pandemic protocols were relaxed, the viruses are making a comeback. She said certain viruses that often mutate are also present in test samples during research and that was a cause for concern.
Flu-related illnesses
Dr. Bindu Menon, a virologist at Madurai Medical College, said there are some emerging viruses that have never been seen before, adding that all these viruses are receiving hosts and transmission rates are increasing.
She said that the flu is only for three or four days in children, but children have a prolonged cough for three weeks and do not respond even to cough syrups.
Children’s wards in almost all government hospitals in many districts of Tamil Nadu are full as admission rates due to fever and cold are on the rise.
Source: IANS
