Humidity, occasional rains and fluctuating temperatures have led to spurt in viral fever in Jamshedpur and East Singhbhum as a whole.

Some 40 state-owned and private health centres and nursing homes in East Singhbhum district are witnessing steady flow of residents suffering from sore throat, running nose, itchy eyes and fever, some with additional symptoms of diarrhoea too.

A random survey conducted by The Telegraph in Jamshedpur found patient footfall increase in the range of 20-30 per cent at the outpatient departments (OPDs) of hospitals and nursing homes.

Long queues can be seen outside OPDs of state-run MGM Medical College and Hospital in Sakchi and Sadar Hospital at Khasmahal, 6km from the steel city, for check-ups between 9am and 1pm.

"Micro-organisms thrive in high humidity and temperature. In our OPD, the number of patients have increased by around 30 per cent. And this rise is due to viral fever," said medicine head of the department at MGM Medical College and Hospital Dr Hiralal Murmu.

Agreed Dr Murmu's counterpart at the corporate-owned Tata Main Hospital, Dr B.S. Rao.

"There has been an increase in the number of patients footfall in the last one week at our OPDs. Usually, over 1,000 patients turn at the medicine OPDs every day. Since one week, the number has increased by 20 per cent, and these are mostly viral fever patients," said Dr Rao.

An elderly patient from Bagbera who had to be admitted at MGM Medical College and Hospital on Thursday evening said he didn't want to take a risk by staying at home.

"I had high fever two days ago. I consulted a local physician and thought I'll have a remission. But, it aggravated and from yesterday night I started having loose motions and stomach pain. My wife told me to go to the hospital without delay," said Shanker Prasad (65).

Senior physician and former HoD of medicine department at MGM, Dr Nirmal Kumar advised complete rest for patients.

"We all know humidity and fluctuating temperatures are ideal for viral fevers. We give symptomatic treatment, using analgesics to control pain and fever and anti-diarrhoealp treatment to control diarrhoea. But, to help the body heal and increase immunity, patients should take complete rest, drink plenty of water and have proper diet advised by medical practitioners," said Dr Kumar.