Monsoon health tips: Dengue, flu and water-borne diseases are on the rise, know expert’s advice

On 25 June, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced the onset of the southwest monsoon over Mumbai and Delhi. While the monsoon arrived in Mumbai late by 14 days, it arrived in Delhi two days earlier.

“Recently there has been a significant increase in dengue cases, which can be attributed to the change in weather. With the onset of the monsoon season, we have seen an average of 10-15 cases per day, out of which 5-6 cases are diagnosed as dengue, while others are viral flu cases,” Dr. Anurag Saxena, HOD-Internal Medicine at Primus Super Specialty Hospital, told IANS.

“This increase is accompanied by the worrying fact that 7-8 patients require hospitalization due to severe symptoms like high fever, severe headache, joint and muscle pain. Additionally, some patients are also experiencing gastrointestinal problems, including symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Others are showing symptoms of viral flu, such as runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, fatigue and general malaise,” Dr Saxena said.

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According to Dr. Tushar Tayal, Principal Consultant, Department of Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, there has been a 15-20 per cent increase in patients with flu, diarrhoea, typhoid, jaundice, abdominal pain and vomiting.

“This is due to consumption of contaminated food and water, change in temperature and humidity,” Dr Tayal told IANS.

Doctors said people of all age groups are vulnerable to these diseases, but infants and the elderly are particularly at risk due to low immunity.

“Monsoon increases the risk of certain infections due to various factors such as increased humidity, stagnant water and higher prevalence of certain vectors such as mosquitoes,” Dr Ajay Agarwal, director of internal medicine, Fortis Hospital Noida, told IANS.

Apart from these diseases, skin infections are also likely to increase during monsoon.

“Fungal and bacterial infections of the skin are common during monsoons due to excessive moisture and sweating. Conditions such as ringworm, athlete’s foot and dermatitis can occur, said Dr Agarwal, especially in areas where the skin remains moist for long periods of time.

“Generally, the post-monsoon months see a rise in cases of vector-borne diseases. There has been a rise in dengue and malaria cases in Delhi this year and the reason for this can be attributed to the unseasonal rains in early May. A rise has also been observed in other seasonal diseases like chikungunya and conjunctivitis,” said Dr Sanjay Kumar, consultant, internal medicine, Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals.

The doctors called for taking proactive steps to stop the breeding of mosquitoes and protect them from these diseases.

He advised people to regularly check and clean water containers, flower pots, bird baths and coolers to eliminate stagnant water; Drink only boiled water or purified water; Cover your mouth and nose with a handkerchief while coughing or sneezing; Use mosquito repellents and nets to prevent mosquitoes; Keep clothes dry and use antifungal powder to avoid fungal skin infections.

He also advised consuming freshly prepared food and avoiding eating food from roadside vendors; Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly; As well as to take preventive vaccines against hepatitis A, typhoid and flu.