Fluctuating temperatures have left many Calcuttans battling fever, sore throat and nasal congestion.
Doctors said most of these illnesses appear to be caused by viruses, with low-grade fever, runny nose, nasal congestion and throat pain being the most common symptoms.
A man in his 50s from Kasba said he had been experiencing a runny nose, sore throat and general malaise for the past couple of days, developing a fever on Thursday morning. “There is a general feeling of weakness along with fever,” he said.
A resident of south Calcutta, who had visited a resort in Diamond Harbour last week, said he had caught a cold and been unwell for four days. “The cold aggravated over the next few days, my throat felt choked, and I had difficulty speaking. I preferred communicating through WhatsApp until Wednesday,” he said.
A resident of Salt Lake described similar symptoms of weakness and throat pain. He contracted a fever on Wednesday, which had subsided by Thursday.
Doctors said the illnesses are largely triggered by viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus. “About 20% of patients coming to the clinic present with fever, throat pain and runny nose. The ailments have not been severe in anyone yet, but we are advising caution, especially for the elderly and those with comorbidities,” said Amitabha Saha, director of critical care at Desun Hospital.
Saha said that fluctuating temperatures create ideal conditions for viruses to thrive.
There is still a nip in the morning, while afternoons are becoming increasingly warm.
According to the Alipore Met office, Wednesday’s maximum temperature was 26.4° Celsius and the minimum 16.8°, while Tuesday recorded a maximum of 27.4°and a minimum of 15.3°. The wide gap in the temperatures shows that afternoons are getting warm despite cooler mornings, the Met office said.
ENT specialist Agniva Basu said throat pain, nasal congestion and low-grade fever are the most common complaints. “Nearly 30% of patients in our hospital’s OPD are coming with these symptoms,” said Basu, consultant at RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences.
He added that most illnesses are self-limiting, but routine blood tests and inflammation markers are recommended for some elderly or those with comorbidities.
Chandramouli Bhattacharya, infectious disease specialist at Peerless Hospital, said infection rates had been higher a couple of weeks ago. “More people get affected when the pollution index is bad. As air quality improves, fewer people fall sick,” he said.