VIJAYAWADA: Rising cases of intense cough lasting for over a week coupled with ailments like nausea, vomiting, sore throat, fever, body ache, and diarrhoea, observed in most parts of the State, can be linked to influenza virus H3N2, a subtype of virus that causes flu, said National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The infection may last for about five to seven days, which is considered to be the normal healing period. In exceptional cases, the fever might get cured in three days also, said the doctors.“People are concerned as the symptoms of influenza are similar to those of Covid-19 virus. It is common in people aging 50 to 15 to experience seasonal cold or cough from October to February. Air pollution is one of the precipitating factors. Self-control and regulation needs to be practised by all. One should avoid crowded places, maintain respiratory hygiene and take the vaccination,” said the medical practitioners.
Dr Kumbha Yugandhar, a noted Pulmonologist of Vijayawada said, “About 80% of the patients are coming to the hospital with developed upper respiratory infections along with fever. We observe that the cold hits them at first, followed by continuous headache, fever for one to two days, then body pain and finally the cough persists. Simple antibiotics are needed to cure continuous cough and body ache, but people are taking antibiotics as they used to take during the pandemic, which is not advisable.”
According to the Indian Medical Association, doctors, specially Rural and private medical practitioners should not prefer antibiotics, instead prescribe Crocin or Paracetamol for fever and Leo Citizen etc for cold. Speaking to TNIE, Dr C Srinivasa Raju, State president of the Indian Medical Association said, “People start taking antibiotics like Azithromycin and Amoxiclav etc, which needs to be stopped as it leads to antibiotic resistance.”
Dr Raju also stated that several other antibiotics are being misused for certain conditions and are developing resistance among patients.“The most misused antibiotic drugs are Amoxicillin, Norfloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Ofloxacin and Levofloxacin. We need to diagnose the type of infection first,” he added.