NEW DELHI: A fear of resurgence of influenza infection is griping Delhi city as number of patients complaining of Swine Flu and other viral infections is rising in hospital OPDs.
According to the doctors, patients are approaching them with complaints of discomfort in the chest, trouble breathing, fever, and other symptoms. Some patients need oxygen support and ventilators and are from all age group. Doctors say that caution should be exercised by the people to break the chain of infection.
Swine Flu is a highly contagious human respiratory infection caused by an influenza strain —H1N1— that started in pigs.
Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, chills, weakness, and body aches. Children may experience shortness of breath, dehydration, and irritability in advanced cases. Children, pregnant women, and the elderly are at risk of severe infection. Typical treatment includes rest, pain relievers, and fluids. In some cases, antiviral medication and IV fluids may be required.
“There are more cases of swine flu infection than influenza. Fever is the classic symptom. However, if the fever is accompanied by severe cough, cold, headache, and body ache, then do not take it lightly. If any member of the household has a fever, cough, or cold, the person should get isolated for five days. So that other members of the family do not get infected,” a government doctor at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital said. Dr Akshay Budhraja, a specialist in pulmonary medicine at Aakash Super Specialty Hospital, said the majority of the cases are turning positive for H1N1 while very few cases are from H3N2 and Covid-19.
“We have seen patients landing up in the hospital’s emergency and all of them required non-invasive ventilation. When investigated, their chest x-ray revealed pneumonia patches so it is utmost important that symptoms should not be ignored and early medical intervention should be sought. The patients include all age group. However, all of them are recovering fast,” he said.
Disease symptoms
Swine Flu is a highly contagious human respiratory infection caused by an influenza strain —H1N1— that started in pigs. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, chills, weakness, and body aches. Children may experience shortness of breath, dehydration, and irritability in advance cases. Typical treatment includes rest and fluid intake.