121 dengue cases in August so far as Delhi reports record-breaking rain

As per a weekly report of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, a total 412 cases of dengue, 191 cases of malaria and 32 cases of chikungunya have been reported so far this year. Last week, 58 cases of dengue were registered in areas falling under the MCD, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and the Railways. However, 17 were acquired from other states, 55 had incomplete addresses, and in 16 cases, addresses were traced, but patients could not be found.

While patients have started to queue up outside OPDs, some are also getting admitted to hospitals. According to Dr Rommel Tickoo, Director of Internal Medicine at Max Healthcare, for patients with severe influenza, the infection is followed by bronchitis and sinusitis. He said dengue cases have not seen a surge yet, but are expected to go up in the next few weeks considering the excessive rainfall this year.

Echoing the same opinion about a rise in dengue cases, Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, said he too has been seeing a surge in influenza cases.

“We got a few patients tested. There has been a rise in Influenza A virus, a subtype H3N2. This has been a trend since Covid. However, influenza cases go up during monsoon as well,” he said, adding that a few patients with dengue have also been admitted and that most of them were from Delhi.

In July, the national capital had reported 30 cases of dengue, 18 of malaria, and one case of chikungunya.

Dr Neetu Jain, Senior Consultant, Pulmonology Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at PSRI hospital, said there is a clear rise in both dengue and flu cases that is common during the monsoon. “Dengue cases have been rising now. Flu cases are also quite common owing to the change in weather and viral circulation. Both are being seen in people from different age groups, including children and young adults,” she said.

“There have been admissions, particularly for dengue. Patients with very low platelet counts, dehydration or complications need to be admitted for supportive care and close observation. Flu-related admissions are fewer and mostly involve high-risk groups such as the elderly, small children, or patients with chronic illnesses like asthma or heart disease,” she said.

Dr Jain said that patients with dengue usually get sudden high fever, severe body pain, headache, pain behind the eyes, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes a skin rash. Some patients also show warning signs like abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, or bleeding gums that require closer monitoring, she said.

For flu, symptoms are different and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or blocked nose, body aches, and fatigue. Some patients also report headache and mild breathlessness, especially if they already have underlying respiratory issues.

Dr Jain added that most flu patients recover within five-seven days with rest, hydration, and supportive care, while cough and fatigue can linger a little longer in some cases.

For dengue, on the other hand, fever and acute symptoms usually take seven-10 days to settle, but full recovery of energy levels may take up to two–three weeks. Patients with mild dengue usually recover at home, but those with warning signs require hospitalisation for monitoring of platelet counts and hydration status, as per doctors.