New symptoms indicate new virus strain in action

The state government is now collaborating with National Institute of Virology to identify the type of dengue virus present in Kolkata and its suburbs. Experts are of the opinion that this time a different strain of dengue virus is affecting the people.

Earlier,Type-3 virus was more prevalent in the city. This year,those down with dengue-like symptoms have external symptoms like stomach pain or pneumonia,which were not found earlier. They feel that external symptoms related with pneumonia are confusing the doctors in the diagnosis of the disease. Amitva Nandi,a doctor in medicine and associated with School of Tropical Medicine,said the dengue virus appears to be reducing immunity of the affected persons to such an extent that cross infection appears to be leading to gastro-intestinal infection or respiratory infection.

Meanwhile,officials from National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) said they are yet to receive any samples for identification of the sub-type of the dengue virus in circulation this year.