HYDERABAD: The recent news from Nepal of a principal saving 900 students before their school building was washed away in flash floods brought back memories of a similar act of courage by a Telangana headmaster when parts of the state were hit by floods in 2023.On the occasion of Teachers’ Day, TOI spoke to Patam Meenaiah, who had shepherded 40 students to safety by wading through a swollen rivulet.It was the afternoon of July 27, 2023, and the rain that had seemed harmless just hours earlier had transformed into a raging force. From the premises of the Tribal Welfare Ashram Upper Primary School in Malyala, Mulugu, Meenaiah watched in disbelief as water surged through the village, carrying away homes and belongings.“There wasn’t any reason for concern when I woke up that morning,” recalls the now-retired headmaster. But as the rain intensified, the scene outside changed dramatically. “I came out to make a phone call to my seniors and saw water gushing towards us like a tsunami.”Inside the school and hostel were 40 children. There was no time to wait.By early afternoon, the waters had risen dangerously, threatening to leave the children either stranded or swept away.Fever and flu cases, which normally begin to decline by Sept, are rising across Hyderabad this year, with hospitals reporting a significant increase in outpatient footfall.Doctors attributed the surge to prolonged monsoon rains, which have created favourable conditions for mosquito breeding and respiratory virus transmission.At the Govt Fever Hospital, daily OPD numbers have risen from 400 a few weeks ago to 600 now. Similar trends are being reported at Gandhi Hospital, Osmania Hospital, NIMS, urban primary health centres and private hospitals across the city.Niloufer Hospital is also seeing a rise in paediatric cases, with 100 children being admitted daily with flu-like symptoms such as high fever, persistent cough, headache and body aches. While viral fever remains the most common diagnosis, dengue and typhoid are also being suspected in several cases.“Early symptoms of viral fever, H1N1 (swine flu) and dengue are similar, making it difficult to distinguish them initially. At the same time, we are seeing a surge in influenza-like illnesses,” said Dr Musa Khan, superintendent of Fever Hospital.Private hospitals too have reported an increase in such cases. Doctors stressed that timely testing is important as viral infections, H1N1 and early dengue can present with similar symptoms. “People are advised to avoid self-medication and seek medical evaluation if fever persists beyond 72 hours,” said Dr Chaitanya Challa, senior consultant, CARE Hospitals.Telangana director of public health Dr B Ravinder Nayak said the prevailing weather conditions could trigger a further rise in seasonal illnesses, particularly vector-borne, waterborne and airborne infections. He urged people to prevent mosquito breeding, maintain hygiene and take precautions against infections. Meanwhile, Telangana has not reported any H1N1 cases so far.
