BENGALURU : Even as China witnesses a spike in cases of respiratory diseases among children due to influenza and mycoplasma pneumonia, doctors in the city have assured that there is no alarming trend observed in Bengaluru.
Chairman of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and HOD of Internal Medicine at Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Dr K Ravi said, “We haven’t seen any major rise in pneumonia, influenza or SARI cases at any hospitals. There is no alarming trend as such, apart from a few regular cases.” Seasonal flu is infectious and spreads from person to person, and an infected person generally suffers from cold, dry cough and fever for at least 7 to 10 days, said Dr Ravi, and added that though viral pneumonia affects everyone, children are more prone to it.
He explained that even mycoplasma pneumonia cases in China are causing breathlessness, fever or cough, and are bacteria-borne. Unlike viral pneumonia which might require patients to be hospitalised and takes longer to recover, most patients of the bacteria-borne pneumonia are not severely affected and are rarely hospitalised.
According to the weekly infectious disease report of the State Surveillance Unit, Karnataka has reported 9,039 SARI cases and 3,417 influenza cases in 2023, (till November 26) both showing a downward trend.
HoD of Paediatrics and Neonatology at Sakra World Hospital, Dr Rajath Athreya explained that there has been a continuous onset of viral-borne diseases including adenovirus, respiratory synctial virus (RSV) or flu-like cases in the last 6-8 months. He assured that no unprecedented seasonal spurt is expected in the city. Regular cases are being checked in OPDs.
Being a TAC member, Dr Athreya also said the health department has initiated measures to tackle any rise in infections at the appropriate time as SARI cases are being well reported, and mock drills are also organised regularly in hospitals.