New Delhi, July 26 (IANS) With the change in weather and increasing humidity, doctors in the capital have said there is a 30 per cent rise in the number of viral fever cases this monsoon season, and cautioned children to take extra precautionary measures.
Doctors have also urged all patients of viral fevers to undergo dengue test so that, in case it is detected, proper medication process can be started on time.
"The viral cases have been on the rise by more than 30 per cent in the past two weeks. Children should specially take care as they are more among the afflicted," said Sunil Gupta, Head of Paediatrics at Saroj Super Speciality Hospital.
According to authorities of AIIMS, the medicine OPD of the hospital has witnessed over 400 children suffering of viral fever in the last two months. Many of them have also been tested positive for dengue.
Delhi till now has witnessed one death and 90 cases of dengue. The government hospitals are well equipped for handling the cases of dengue with new wards created for dengue patients, officials said.
Talking about the symptoms of viral fever, Shantanu Dagar, a senior physician at AIIMS, told IANS: "Person may also feel dehydrated due to heavy sweating, as the body temperature undergoes frequent changes. The viral fever can also cause headache, weakness and cold symptomatic symptoms among others."
Dagar also said if the viral fever remains for more than a week the patient should immediately undergo blood platelet check and dengue test.
"In the case of children, it's more important that they should undergo the dengue test within two-three days of viral fever as the immune system gets easily affected," said Dagar.
An 18-year-old teenager succumbed to dengue after weeks of viral fever, becoming the first death to be reported of the season.
S.K. Mundhra, a Delhi-based internal medicine expert, said: "As such there is no treatment for viral fever. The infection has to run its course for normally three-four days and then subsides on its own; but in case of high fever, excessive bodyache or headache and cold symptoms, the dengue test is a must to save the patients."
