Bhubaneswar: With summer approaching, the twin cities have witnessed almost a 50-100% rise in cases of persistent cough with throat irritation and breathlessness with or without fever, body ache and headache, over the last three weeks. Doctors said some mutated viruses of the coronavirus group, which are less virulent, along with influenza viruses, are creating such conditions.Senior consultant (internal medicine and diabetes) at a private hospital, Dr Sitikantha Nanda, said such type of health conditions are being witnessed after Covid-19. “Coronaviruses and influenza viruses are mutating and becoming less virulent. These mutated viruses do not create pneumonia or any severe conditions, but patients are facing difficulties getting rid of the cough,” he said.Nanda added he is getting at least 12 such cases in his OPD every day, as compared to eight patients three weeks ago. “It is a 50% increase during the last three weeks. The patients complain that their cough persists up to 15 days or a month. They encounter these viruses when they visit crowded places during marriage ceremonies, big parties, or mass gatherings at fairs and festivals,” he said, adding they treat these patients keeping their symptoms in mind.“We also advise vulnerable people to take flu shots. People should wash their hands frequently and use masks while going to any crowded place,” he said.Among children, the rise is almost 100%. A paediatrician from Bhubaneswar, Dr Nilamadhab Jena, said he gets 20 children with complains of persistent cough and viral fever every day. “Three weeks ago, this number was around 10. I prescribe different medicines to children, but the cough does not get subsided easily. We give nebulizers to kids when they develop respiratory issues,” he said.Govt facilities too are receiving double the number of such patients as compared to three weeks ago. Professor of general medicine at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, Dr Jayanta Kumar Panda, said season change is also another reason behind this health condition. “We are receiving at least 30 such patients now. It is double the number of patients we were getting three weeks ago,” he said.Internal medicine consultant Dr Pradeep Narayan Sahoo said many people are reporting the problem of cough lasting over a month, irritation in the back of their throats, and sometimes difficulty breathing (with or without fever, body aches and headaches) with the summer approaching.“This has become evident due to Covid-19, where there is airway hyperreactivity resulting from inflammation caused by the virus itself and/or from changes in the body’s ability to fight off infection,” said Sahoo, adding season change, increased temperature, dust and pollen, and air pollution can worsen the symptoms.
